Are Egypt’s police ignoring its laws against sexual harassment?
During the inauguration of Egypt’s new president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi in 2014, I witnessed a teenager bloodily raped by men celebrating the new regime.
Apparently, this was just among the many sexual assaults that occurred that day in a heavily guarded event with law enforcement agencies meant to guard the new Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
Media reports further showed that many foreign female journalists were sexually harassed by men at Tahir Square (Amar, 2013; Cordes, 2014). Following these events, the country established a new legislation criminalizing sexual harassment.
The law stipulates that: ‘Anyone who verbally, physically, by means of gesture or via electronic media is culpable of sexual harassment can be given a six-month jail sentence and a fine of between EGP 3,000 and EGP 5,000. For repeat offenders, these punishments can be doubled’.
