Burned Alive

About “Burned Alive”

When Souad was seventeen, she fell in love. In her West Bank village, sex before marriage is considered a serious violation, and her brother-in-law carried out her punishment by setting her on fire while she was washing clothes. The community saw him as a hero, and her parents supported his actions. She survived the attack, rescued by women from her village and taken to a hospital. She was severely burned over 90% of her body and faced rejection from her family. She received medical care only after a European aid worker intervened. Now living in exile, Souad shares her story to expose the brutality of honor killings. More than five thousand such killings are reported annually, though many go unreported. "Burned Alive" is her testimony of survival and a call to end this practice.