Okay first of all, I am not surprised in any way that we have sexual harassment in Egypt, but I am in extreme disgust of the Egyptian people... my people.
This is not Egypt... at least not the Egypt I know and studied about. Sexual harassment (in Egyptian arabic, "mo'aksa") is forbidden in Islam, and is a taboo in the Egyptian culture. The man who harasses women is known to be a sissy. But it seems that the condition in Egypt has worsened very much that people no longer have ethics, nor follow their religion.
I am actually against the "I am this, because I'm poor... I do that, because I'm poor" idealogy. I am talking about those who blame "poverty" for the fact that he's unmannered, hot-tempered, greedy, impatient and dirty-mouthed/minded. I have noticed that as I described the (stereo-?) typical Egyptian, or most Egyptians, to be more specific, the (bad) traits have become more and more unrelated to poverty. Being unmannered and dirty-minded is not because you're poor. Egypt has had poor people all the time. In King Farouk's era, there were a lot of poor people, but they were not like this. Each and every Egyptian, whether rich or poor, was well-mannered and followed his religion.
So apparently, the problem we have in Egypt is not because of poor people being poor. It is because of almost everyone being unmannered. It is a problem... a serious problem. Based on surveys, 83% of veiled, Egyptian women reported that they have been harassed at least once in their lives. They are veiled, but still harassed. I have heard from many Egyptian youth that they harass women because they wear tight or seductive clothes. That's not even a reason to harass them. But here, the women are veiled, but are still harassed. It is more of a lack in manners than in wealth.
The reason why I'm writing about this is because of this article I ran through while surfing the web. It is about a tourist's experience in Egypt. She got into disgusting situations that really make you hate Egyptians.
One kiss on the mouth, and he'll give me the equivalent of a dollar. I am walking through a market in Cairo, Egypt, when I realize that sexual harassment has no limits here. - Quoted from the tourist
Kiss on the mouth? Seriously, this is getting ugly. Plus, he is going to pay 5 pounds. If he saves them rather than spend them on kissing tourists, he would've become wealthy. If he wants a kiss on the mouth, he should get married... Seriously! Read the article to see a more detailed description of the incidents. She suffered. If I were in her shoes, I'd hate Egypt and not want to visit the country again.
Another survey states that 98% of foreign women get sexually harassed on their tour in Egypt. This means less tourism in the country and eventually less foreign money going to the government. Now, can't you see that sexual harassment threatens tourism? These people are sick (not as in ill). They can pop up anywhere in Egypt and harass women just for the sake of it. They know they will be turned down, but they just do it. No wonder why they remain poor and God does not bless their money.
Just an advice to any potential tourists out there. If you ever come to Egypt, always stick with the guide on your tour. If you're female and without a guide in Egypt, your tour will turn into a nightmare. Egypt is a wonderful country, despite the criticisms. The criticisms are mostly true, but if you're joined with a guide, the tour will be great. Firstly, you'll get your time schedule organized so you'll be able to visit the best places in Egypt. Secondly, the guide will give you lots of information about the places and landmarks. Thirdly, the guide can tell you about prices and where to buy souvenirs. Last but not least, you will be protected from harassments!
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4 comments:
i believe sexual harassment is by Wahabists to force girls to wear hijab, while the one harrass girls with hijab is just another horney guys.
This is a very nice article Abdurrahman. Sadly, it's very true :(
I think Egypt needs some rules to be followed strictly... No rules, then do whatever you want and no one will even do anything... It's becoming the nature of men in the streets to stare at women... I watch people walking and staring... Very weird image if you try to imagine it...
OK, Let’s examine this phenomenon:
1. If you were a 30 year old virgin and had no prospects of ever getting married thus changing that situation, you might forget your manners too. You can't pray away biology; testosterone is more powerful than any drug.
2. The economy is bad, things look hopeless, and oppressive conditions cause people to lose their minds. In America, every time the economy gets bad, crime and violence against women and children skyrocket. It is human nature for people to find groups with even less power to take out frustrations on.
3. 83% of veiled women are harassed? In countries where women are viewed as equal, they can go pretty much anywhere alone without being molested. The veiled woman are an easy target because they have never been taught to stand up straight, hold their heads high and walk with confidence. Men have run into walls and flipped over tables looking at me, but none have ever made rude comments to me. I don't dress like a nun nor do I dress like a hooker, all my dresses fall below the knee and nothing is skin tight, I look like I should be respected, I look and act like I respect myself.
4. A veil is not an electric fence, it affords no protection, women in Saudi Arabia are harassed even when completely hidden under a Burka. A total lack of respect for women is responsible for most of the harassment there; it is probably a big part of the reason in Egypt as well. If you are never allowed to interact in any meaningful way with a certain group of people, those people will always be seen as ‘other’. People viewed as ‘other’ are not afforded the same consideration as those who are part of your bonding group.
While these may be a few of the reasons for the caddish behavior, the responsibility is ultimately on the young men to change their behavior. It is unrealistic to think that they can do it all alone. Maybe someone should just ask them what they are feeling when they are acting this way. Maybe someone should listen, really listen and try to understand what they are going through, before someone with evil plans find them and pretends to listen.
@ Maged:
It's been 16 years for me in life, so I possibly haven't seen all types of people in Egypt. But I have to tell you that Wahabis only exist in Saudi Arabia. I've been there and I've seen how extreme they are. As compared to the situation in Saudi Arabia and some neighbour countries, Wahabis are overhyped in Egypt.
They are a minority here. It's more of a term than a reality. It's a term governments use to give a bad image about moderate Islamic movements that seem to them as a potential rival.
@ Mina:
I agree. Most Egyptians don't seem to follow a religion and no longer fear God. They neither follow rules or fear the law, unless strict... very strict and harsh. But of course, we're talking about the uneducated class. Once the majority becomes educated and well-mannered, strict laws will no longer be needed. Thanks for your comment by the way.
@ Candide:
I'm sure they're many factors that lead a person to these acts, but I wanted to focus most on poverty. As you said, the negative and disrespectful attitude is what makes Egyptian youth commit such acts, but because they're uneducated and not well-raised, they don't think that they're an abnormality. If only we have perfectly well-raised people, they'll think right and think of consequences, unlike animals. If only...
If he's a 30 year-old virgin and can't get married, that doesn't change manners. And that's what religion is for, i.e. to improve the intellectuality of people and show that life is only a journey, and the afterlife is what matters most. If the 30 year-old virgin understands such a thing, marriage will remain a problem, but the effect of the problem on his actions will change.
I agree that it's the attitude of the weak veiled women who can't stand for themselves that is contributing to the problem. It's also the attitude of the youth who can't think of consequences.
Again, that's what religion is for. If the economy is declining, people should spend their efforts in dealing with the core problem of being poor, rather than all the problems on the surface, such as difficulties in marriage and bad social life, besides the lack of possibility in spending on luxuries in life. You put out fire by extinguishing it's base, and not the ends.
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