In the late 1800s, Robert Louis Stevenson devised the “black spot” for his novel Treasure Island. Pirates would give a circular piece of paper—black on one side and a message on the other—to any pirate who stood condemned by the group. (It was in this way that Long John Silver received his “deposed” notice as captain.)
The spot became a useful trope in pirate-related lore, board games, and so on and a similar concept was even proposed on social media as a way to “secretly” alert someone to abuse, trafficking, and the like.
In 2015, a group on Facebook called the “Black Dot Campaign” told readers that if one were to draw a black dot on their palm, this could be a way to signal that the person is in a dangerous situation but cannot call for help (e.g. an abusive relationship, abduction, etc.). The idea quickly spread online, leading some with the false impression that this was a signal authorities were trained to spot, as it were.
That year, Snopes fact-checked whether or not “victims of domestic violence” can “secretly signal for help by drawing black dots on their palms.” Its verdict was a mixture, making clear that this campaign was just an idea from a civilian who made a Facebook page to promote it but that the concept is not used in training police, medical professionals, or others how to look for potential victims.
Articles promoting the black dot began recirculating on Facebook this weekend, suggesting that “whenever you notice black dots on a women’s [sic] palm, call the police as soon as possible.” Sites such as jesusbelievers.info, healthyfoodteam.com, and laughingcolours.com have found a new audience for this old story on Facebook, with thousands clicking on articles that do not clarify that the black dot is not something professionals are taught regarding these victims.
Just as Stevenson’s device, the “black dot” is fictional in the sense that it is not something used by law enforcement professionals or victim’s advocates. It was an idea that went viral several years ago, and like many things on the internet, it simply won’t relent. Professional training and tips for spotting certain victims can be found on the State Department’s website.
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