Shocking attitude

The centre is campaigning for a new law that clearly defines Sexual Harassment as a crime and makes it easier for women to report it in Egypt – women like a young film-maker, who told the BBC she had been repeatedly pawed in broad daylight by a van driver in a Cairo traffic jam as she walked on the pavement. His behaviour made her so angry she ran after the van and held on to the side mirror to force the driver to stop so she could take him to a police station. She was equally shocked by the attitude of other passers-by. Some tried to dissuade her from going to the police - others blamed her for what she was wearing (a baggy sports outfit). In the end, she phoned her father who came and escorted the driver to a police station. But even there, police officers refused to open an investigation and urged her to forget the matter.

Impudent allegation

After her story had been published in the Badeel daily Editor-in-chief wrote that the behaviour of the crowd was characteristic of oppressed societies, where the majority identified with the oppressors. He blamed the increase in Sexual Harassments on what he said were three decades of incitement against women from the pulpits of some of Egypt's mosques. This verbal incitement is based on the extremely sordid and impudent allegation that our women are not modestly dressed. This was, and still is, a flagrant lie, used to justify violence against women in the name of ISLAM. The British Foreign Office said that Egypt is one of the countries with the highest number of cases reported to Embassy staff regarding sexual offences against visiting women. It warns them to be extra cautious in public places especially when alone because of the risks. Egyptians needed to re-evaluate their value system and school curricula and to ensure that the rule of law prevails and prevents offenders and criminals from walking free because of a breakdown of basic notions of right and wrong. Thanks to surveys like this, one encounters an endless number of newspaper articles reflecting the feeling that Egypt is in the grip of a moral crisis. Perhaps nothing illustrates Egypt's loss of a moral compass than the responses of some men in the ECWR study. Some said they harassed a woman simply because they were bored. One who abused a woman wearing the hijab and niqab said she must be beautiful, or hiding something.

My comments, short and sweet: If you’re an ARAB MALE in a city, town, or village, in an Arab or Arab-speaking country, and you’re not half a man – if you’re not Gay – and you meet a woman or a girl in a street or anywhere – whether she’s properly or improperly dressed – go ahead and Sexually Harass her! Sexually Abuse or Molest her, too! In other words, have your way with her: grab her, paw her, feel her, and take her! After all, she’s only a woman or a girl, so she’s either some man’s slave or servant – or an escaped prisoner; or some man’s object of pleasure and amusement; or a retarded person who managed to escape from her watchmen or supervisors; and she has no rights!

Those Males that saw did not see, and those Males that heard did not hear. Actually, they would be glad to join in the fun. As for the Females that saw and heard, they wouldn’t dare interfere or intervene, for fear of becoming victims, too, unless of course…

As for any one of the Religious Clerics; he would have loved to invite her home for an evening of Religious Studies and Social Norms, and Advice on what and what not to wear – and especially, how to take them off; and the police would have loved to keep her at the station overnight to help them in their investigation…you know what I mean. Actually, Religion – especially Islamic Religious Clerics – have done more to promote HIV/AIDS and Vice and Corruption than to prevent them by their misinterpretations or their own interpretations and versions of Islam and Islamic Laws; and by herding males (men and boys) and females (women and girls) into separate pens like cattle or goats, or like separating the sheep from the goats, on every occasion – wedding or funeral ceremonies, parties, get-togethers (even in homes), or whatever; and even in work-places – and every chance they get. They have agencies like “Religious Police (Pollutes)” and “Commissions for the Promotion of Vice and the Prevention of Virtue”

Also, it is much easier and safer for women and girls to do whatever they want and to commit whatever sin or so-called social moral misdemeanors when they are hidden from view – that is, when they know they cannot be known or recognised. Kindly read my posting: 120