Egyptian Women Blamed for Sexual Assaults

In many countries, women are blamed for being sexually assaulted and ganged raped. The article I read this week explains how Egyptian women are standing up against violence in their country by engaging in protest. In Cairo, Egypt, many women are victims of sexual crimes that occurs in a certain area or square called the Tahrir Square. The Tahrir square in Cairo is a place that women are most likely to get attacked and some authorities in Egypt blames the women for their attacks by entering the square. This square has become a “no-go zone for most women living in the area.

As far as the government is concerned, “a girl contributes 100 percent to her won raping when she puts herself in these conditions.” There has been an increase in the last two years amongst women being sexually assaulted due to the removing of President Hosni Mubarak who kept the assault “out of the public squares and the public eye.” Some officials elected stated that “ the female victims are inviting their selves to the attacks by participating in public protest.” Other official who are female knows that this issue is a “disgrace, and hope that it will stop in the future.”

Victims of these attacks are not only speaking out through the newly aggressive news media, but they are also telling their stories about their attacks. Some women have all said that the men “force them to the ground and cut off all their clothes then raping them thinking that they are saving these women.” Some women are damaged from these attacks to the point where they don’t go out their houses. In many families, if you were a female and you were sexually assaulted, your family would not claim you anymore and look at you as a disgrace.

It saddens me that women are still being treated so harshly in many countries. I am proud of these Egyptian women for having the courage to come out and tell their stories to the public about what is really going on over there. I hope one day and soon, leaders from all over the world can fight this issue and step in to stop the attacks on women by enforcing stricter law, more armed forces, and more protection that women can have so they won’t be afraid to leave their home without worrying about being attacked.




http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/world/middleeast/egyptian-women-blamed-for-sexual-assaults.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Sheila Floyd

Soc 202-01

3/39/2013