ASMAA FATHI

Cairo- “I was subjected to sexual violence by my uncle for years. I left home at a young age to get rid of it. I still cannot tell my family why I left home to study in another province,” said a victim of sexual violence in Egypt.

Her story is the story of hundreds of women in Egypt. Many women still fear the stigma of reporting sexual abuse in Egypt despite the efforts of feminists and activists to raise awareness about it. Victims of sexual violence face obstacles that force them to remain silent and not report it.

Sarah Jamal, lawyer and a volunteer at the Sanad, a feminist initiative offering legal support to victims of violence in Egypt, thinks that sexual violence is a taboo that cannot be spoken out in Egypt. “Many victims of sexual violence still fear the stigma of reporting it. They are afraid of being blamed by society. Girls and women should be encouraged to speak out about sexual violence; they should not remain silent against it. Awareness-raising activities is one of the tools that encourage girls and women to speak out about sexual violence. Providing legal support to them is another tool. As Sanad, we provide legal and psychological support to victims of violence and encourage them to speak out about sexual violence.

Pointing out that women’s organizations demand a unified law protecting women against all forms of violence, Sarah Jamal said, “There is no effective law that protects girls and women from domestic violence and encourages victims of domestic violence to speak out about it. Carrying out awareness-raising activities against violence will achieve justice.”

‘Victims of violence need safe spaces’

Sabreen Ismail, project coordinator at the Alrowwad (Pioneers for Life) Cultural and Arts Society in Alexandria Governorate, told NuJINHA that NGOs and women’s organizations carry out awareness-raising activities to combat all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence. “Victims of sexual violence are afraid of reporting it. They need support to speak out about sexual violence. They also need safe spaces that protect them and keep their locations confidential.”

Pointing out that survivors of sexual violence are blamed for sexual assaults, Sabreen Ismail said, “Girls and women are scared, embarrassed, humiliated, or ashamed to report sexual violence in Egypt because they are blamed for provoking men.

‘Victims of sexual violence need justice’

Alrowwad (Pioneers for Life) Cultural and Arts Society holds workshops on violence against women. “Most of the girls and women participating in the workshops say that they are subjected to violence on public transportation. More awareness-raising activities should be carried out for the victims of sexual violence. Victims of sexual violence need justice.”