In a press conference held at the Downtown Cairo Goethe Institute, the Harassment Map movement launched its “The harasser is a criminal” campaign. The campaign aims at spreading awareness that sexual harassment is a crime strictly punishable by law, and that harassment incidents should be reported to the police.
The press conference was opened by Reem Wael, deputy to the head of the Harassment Map movement, who pointed out that the majority of Egyptians do not view harassment as a serious crime, hence the need to spread awareness of that aspect of the problem. For that purpose, Ms Wael said, the movement was conducting a media campaign on the law against harassment and the penalties meted to the harasser, as well as the need for passers-by to take an active role against a crime once it occurs before them on the street or in a public place. “There is a need to root in the collective conscience of the community the concept that harassment is a crime,” she insisted.
Ahmed Hagab, unit head at Harassment Map, said that nothing but a strict law and harsh penalties can stop a harasser and serve to work a decline in the crime. “As a community,” he said, “we have to be very firm about not allowing such a crime to take place. Only upholding the law can achieve that.”
Watani International
22 May 2015