Egypt: Plans for Sexual Harassment Film Unveiled

After the success of Egypt's Anti-Harassment Day, Egyptian blogger Asser Yasser invited women to share their personal experiences with this issue.

Asser wrote:

The activist also shared pictures (see above) and details of the activities organised on the anti-harassment day here.

Asser's call received several responses, the most interesting of which was a blog post in solidarity with the cause by Wandering Scarab – an Egyptian woman living in Canada:

When I was living in Egypt, in the early 90s, I was subjected to sexual harassment on a daily basis. From the clerk at the grocery store all the way to the guy taking my order for pizza delivery, sexual harassment in Egypt is very common. Some behaviors that constitute sexual misconduct in Western societies are even completely acceptable in Egypt such as whistling and verbal abuse of women passing by. As women, we are often taught that there is something wrong with us and that perhaps we give the wrong signals or do something to attract the attention of sexual predators. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I recall some of the things I've experienced – some of them funny, some scary.

The average Egyptian girl, including myself, suffers sexual abuse almost constantly as a normal part of her life.

The post goes into more details – in English and in Arabic – about the exact details of harassment.