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The untold story of sexual harassment against men in Egypt

July 3, 2014

By Arwa Gaballa, Aswat Masriya As women struggle against a sexual harassment phenomenon in the Middle East’s most populous country, some men in Egypt have been keeping quiet about the harassment they encounter. In spite of a lack of reported cases or documented complaints, personal accounts shared with Aswat Masriya indicate that sexual harassment against men may be more common than expected. “I get cat-called by women on the metro,” a tall and lean Egyptian man with dark hair and a slight beard told Aswat Masriya, adding that for him, it is a confidence boost. When he does not respond to the women however, he is often insulted, verbally attacked and even accused of being a homosexual by them, he said. The 24-year-old, who preferred not to be named, noted that groups are more likely to engage in this kind of behavior than individuals, adding, “Most of them are veiled too.” A veil or headscarf is often worn by Muslim women as a gesture of modesty and devotion to God. Sexual harassment Last year when a taxi driver told Hisham Ahmed* he would wait for him until he is finished…


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