Some people may think they have heard enough about the harassment case that took place in Mohandiseen, Cairo, last month, but we would be shortsighted and negligent if we dealt with this subject as an isolated event that happened, and is now over.
Sexual harassment looks set to continue. It could happen to every woman who sets foot outside her home. And the matter does not stop at the inconvenience, humiliation, or immorality involved. Society stands to pay a dear price in the long term if the problem is not tackled.
Ominous
One girl told Watani that she obtained a diploma with high grades, enabling her to study engineering, but her father was afraid that his daughter could be exposed to harassment and refused to let her go to university. If harassment escalates, this story will not be an isolated case but become a social trend. And this could mean a setback in the active role of Egyptian women in public life.
A variety of reasons are cited as to why harassment of women has become a problem. Some say it is increasing poverty, which makes marriage more difficult; others blame women themselves for dressing indecently; others still say pornographic material is now too easily accessible on the Internet. All this makes little sense: poverty has always existed, yet sociologists say Egypt’s poor marry earlier and have more children than other sectors in the community. Women on the street are mostly veiled, and this does not save them from harassment. As to the spread of pornographic material at anyone’s fingertips; even if this is behind some incidents it cannot be the reason for them all.
I decided to go on the internet to gauge the general opinion on harassment. It shocked me to discover that most of the people blamed the victims and found excuses for the offenders, depicting them as victims of poverty and need.
Respect for women
Some years ago the Egyptian centre for women’s rights said 84 per cent of women in Egypt were exposed daily to harassment. We ignored the warning then, with some even claiming the study tarnished Egypt’s international image. We need harsher penalties for harassment. We need to encourage women to report the crime. We need to make families aware of bringing up their children to respect women. And we need schools to spread this same vision of respect and proper morals when dealing with women.