Many people have experienced uncomfortable cab rides, but few backseat journeys get quite this intense.
In the video above, women featured in a social experiment in Lebanon are visibly shaken in the backseat of a taxi, as a man's automated voice up front -- simply giving directions at first -- becomes increasingly aggressive and hostile toward the driver. Within minutes, the voice is shouting profanities and verbally abusing the intended listener.
"I can't take this anymore," one woman said in the PSA during her ride. Another woman demands to get out of the car while it's in motion.
The PSA, produced by a Lebanese women and children's rights group Kafa, is intended to encourage victims of abuse and their loved ones to speak up and get help. At the end of their drive, a text message appears on one passenger's phone: "If you witness abuse, don't sit back and ignore it. Share this hotline number."
According to the World Health Organization, one in three women worldwide have been assaulted by a former or current partner. Of all women who fall victim to homicide each year, 40 percent are killed by a partner.
While there are no national statistics on domestic violence in Lebanon, one survivor told CNN last year that about half of women there fall victim to domestic abuse. Earlier this year, the country's first bill against domestic violence passed, but came under fire to failing to criminalize marital rape, the Guardian reported.
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. To receive support in Lebanon, visit Kafa's website.
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