WEB NEWS - Egypt: rising up against sexual harassment
- 11 years ago
Today on the net: activists battle against sexual harassment in Egypt; a Japanese official is suspended from duty over offensive remarks on Twitter; and American astronaut Karen Nyberg tweeting from space.
Egypt: rising up against sexual harassment
Thousands of Egyptians gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Sunday demanding the resignation of President Mohammed Morsi. Among the crowds at the rally, volunteers tasked with protecting women from sexual harassment, something which has become all too common at this type of gathering.
A number of groups have been started in recent months, seeking to combat this problem which could dissuade some women from taking part in demonstrations. Recognizable by their neon vests and hard hats, volunteers from the “Tahrir Bodyguard” group for example, patrol the rallies as a deterrent for potential aggressors, and to intervene should anyone be assaulted.
Sunday saw some 30 cases of reported assaults on women during the demonstrations in Cairo: 30 cases too many for these groups that also campaign against sexual harassment in general, in everyday life, not just at rallies. According to a recent study carried out by the UN, over 99% of Egyptian women polled say they have been a victim of sexual harassment in one form or another.
Some activist groups are hoping to combat this scourge by providing free self-defense lessons, and the classes are becoming increasingly popular amongst women in Egypt.
Film maker Khaled El Nabawy meanwhile has been running an awareness campaign on harassment. He has produced a series of video clips which... Go on reading on our web site.
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Egypt: rising up against sexual harassment
Thousands of Egyptians gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Sunday demanding the resignation of President Mohammed Morsi. Among the crowds at the rally, volunteers tasked with protecting women from sexual harassment, something which has become all too common at this type of gathering.
A number of groups have been started in recent months, seeking to combat this problem which could dissuade some women from taking part in demonstrations. Recognizable by their neon vests and hard hats, volunteers from the “Tahrir Bodyguard” group for example, patrol the rallies as a deterrent for potential aggressors, and to intervene should anyone be assaulted.
Sunday saw some 30 cases of reported assaults on women during the demonstrations in Cairo: 30 cases too many for these groups that also campaign against sexual harassment in general, in everyday life, not just at rallies. According to a recent study carried out by the UN, over 99% of Egyptian women polled say they have been a victim of sexual harassment in one form or another.
Some activist groups are hoping to combat this scourge by providing free self-defense lessons, and the classes are becoming increasingly popular amongst women in Egypt.
Film maker Khaled El Nabawy meanwhile has been running an awareness campaign on harassment. He has produced a series of video clips which... Go on reading on our web site.
http://www.france24.com/en/taxonomy/emission/18008
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=france24english
Like us on Facebook:
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Follow us on Twitter:
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