blogger , I felt that it happened to me and that in my new battle I will need every single voice to stand with me against sexual harassment.Yes Asr is a victim of sexual harassment and unfortunately her case in my opinion is much worse than the case of Noha Rushdi , it is more dangerous that some low working class sexual harasser.
Asr is older than Noha , she is grown up woman in the eye of the society , she is married and lives in upscale neighbourhood in Mokkotam, the Mokkotam hill just like Maadi is considered in the eyes of many a suburbia.
Without any further introductions this is a summary to what happened to Asr and her 15 years old niece.They were in the street returning back to her home after buying some candies to her kid from a Kiosk , they were stopped by a bunch of boys” boys with fancy cars” who sexually harassed them. She said that while in her way to her house she could smell the hashish coming from their side. It was more than sexual harassment ,it was a scary moment in her and her niece’ life , I do not know if I were in their place what I will do if I find a white fancy car chases me in the middle of the street with about 10 losers cheering for this car and its owner.
Asr screamed and asked for help and all what she found from the neighbours in the upscale neighbourhood was only some heads that looked out of the windows and balconies than returned back.
Asr was brave and smart , she called the police with her mobile phone and at the same time she took a snap shot for the number of the white car that was chasing her.
Honestly it seems that the Police came right away and as soon as those boys of the block heard the sirens they escaped except the boy in the White Car. Asr went to the Police station to report against the boy.The boy denied what Asr accused him.
The boy is 19 years old student , rich spoil kid whose father came boldly to defend his son claiming that Asr was lying after all she is too old for the boy so he can harass her.
Asr did not give up and now the case will be in the court ,its number is 3038 for year 2009 for those interested.The boy is facing a charge of “Outraging the modesty of female” { If you have better translation please share it with me}
Asr now is in dilemma , the boy’s family are calling her to tell her that she was destroying his future. Strangely that family did not think for one second that they were the one who destroyed the boy’s future for not teaching him what is right and what is wrong.
Asr feels that she is under a pressure , the boy’s family got many contacts that are calling her and husband night and day asking her to drop the charges but she is refusing.
Now I want ask a question what if Asr’s Niece were alone without her , she is a 15 years old girl, the actions of the boys during that night showed that they could have gone too far to the level of rape with my all respect , now whose future would be destroyed then ?? That boy or rather those boys already destroyed their future by their own hands.
If that boy does not get the punishment he deserves according to the Egyptian law now , he will do it over and over.
Now I want to say something , Asr lives in a upscale neighbourhood yet no one from her neighbours offered his or her help as the neighbourhood rights say so , this does not happen in low class neighbourhood in Egypt I am afraid.
Those neighbours must remember that their girls and wives can be in the same situation and they will wish that anyone will come to their rescue !!
Please Support Asr
Technorati Tags: Citizen Journalism,Egypt,Life,Society,Women,sexual harassment,News,Asr Yasser,Blogging,Blogger,security,Mideast,Middle East
Yes, What if my Niece were alone without me?, What if i didn't have a mob.? or if i couldn't call the police???
ReplyDeleteWhat if that brave police officer Mohab elshebokshy didn't come right away??
I am keep thinking about that all the time
The people in my neighborhood looking at me as a freak woman with a strange action, Thay keep asking me to forgave the boy because he is a young student while his family is ignoring me, and just sending some massages throw some powerful people
thanks dear, many thanks for your support.
Why not just hire a sharmuta/prostitute? Theree's plenty these days. That's what we 'rich, spoiled' 19 year olds do. Harrassing random women on the street will not do anything for our basic needs.
ReplyDeleteAsr,first of all welcome to my blog , second May God be with you , and give you strength.
ReplyDeleteThose people in your neighborhood should be ashamed from themselves , alas !!
Do not thank me dear Asr,it is the least thing we can do in this time
@anonymous, are you mocking ??
Asr, you are a woman of true valor. Don't back down to these people, put shame right back on them. I'm thankful God protected you, keep pressing the offender's family.
ReplyDeleteI was sexually harassed in an upper class area of Amman by a group of 3 TWELVE year olds. I couldn't believe they had the audacity to approach a woman my age so boldly. I was fortunate a shopkeeper heard me shouting at them and helped.
What kind of mindset is planted in these boy's brains?
@Zeinobia: Please do not respond back at me with your feminist mindset. I do not 'mock' anyone. It is no joke that a lot of 'rich, spoiled' Egyptian people from the high-class society calm their sexual frustration through prostitutes - both in and outside the country. Marriages - which are becoming less common nowadays due to obvious reasons- (high-class society) will most likely end up in divorce and the women here are becoming too materialistic with their needs, trying to imitate 'Western Women'.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I don't understand what actually happened... she was chased by some doped up hooligans in their car? Is there more to the story than that? I'm not condoning their actions, as I find your expression in English makes it difficult to comprehend the facts of the situation. Understand that I don't condone sexual harassment in any form, but I fail to see through your blog entry why this incident was serious and severe enough for it to be taken to court. If it's just that she was chased by some sexually frustrated, disrespectful teens in their car - well, that happens to countless of females in my (western) nation and though disgusting it doesn't go through the law. Maybe Asr herself (her command of English grammar is great) could explain?
ReplyDeleteTo the other anon - the problem is not that they've not directed their sexual frustration towards sharmutas and have targeted civilian women. The problem is regardless of who their victims or targets are, they appear have a complete lack of respect. Whilst you chastise "high-class society" women for being too materialistic and Westernised, you are using such a reason to justify sexual misconduct. Women's behaviour, desires or choices regardless of how unacceptable they may be in one's eyes, do not give anyone free reign to behave improperly towards them.
Might I add, as a western female, that the boy's (or boys') expectation that Daddy will come to their rescue is also a western (though arguably a 'worldly') concept, which many privileged youth in the west exploit. That expectation is and their actions are worse than being materialistic or imitating one of my western kind, because it makes it acceptable for men to avoid responsibility. As long as Daddy is around they're going to be cotton-balled and won't become fully functioning, morally righteous, civilised ADULTS in society.
Those boys chose to behave this way, those boys chose to neglect all civilised manner, and those same boys must deal with the consequences. The consequences any male faces with regards to sexual harassment are not to be blamed on any female victim, but on themselves since it was their choice, their decision, their lack of respect and decency, their lack of responsibility, and their error of judgement that started it all off.
Even if they weren't upper-class, it's morally deficient of them. They too have female relatives - mothers, sisters, aunts and cousins, and would they accept this kind of behaviour towards any one of them? No, and that would be absolute hypocrisy. Why aren't the parents of these youths doing any parenting?! Discipline, morals, manners, respect... these Egyptian sexually-harassing youths that I keep reading about appear to have none of those things.
[Disclaimer: I am definitely not a feminist.]
To the other anon - the problem is not that they've not directed their sexual frustration towards sharmutas and have targeted civilian women. The problem is regardless of who their victims or targets are, they appear have a complete lack of respect. Whilst you chastise "high-class society" women for being too materialistic and Westernised, you are using such a reason to justify sexual misconduct. Women's behaviour, desires or choices regardless of how unacceptable they may be in one's eyes, do not give anyone free reign to behave improperly towards them.
ReplyDeleteMight I add, as a western female, that the boy's (or boys') expectation that Daddy will come to their rescue is also a western (though arguably a 'worldly') concept, which many privileged youth in the west exploit. That expectation is and their actions are worse than being materialistic or imitating one of my western kind, because it makes it acceptable for men to avoid responsibility. As long as Daddy is around they're going to be cotton-balled and won't become fully functioning, morally righteous, civilised ADULTS in society.
Those boys chose to behave this way, those boys chose to neglect all civilised manner, and those same boys must deal with the consequences. The consequences any male faces with regards to sexual harassment are not to be blamed on any female victim, but on themselves since it was their choice, their decision, their lack of respect and decency, their lack of responsibility, and their error of judgement that started it all off.
Even if they weren't upper-class, it's morally deficient of them. They too have female relatives - mothers, sisters, aunts and cousins, and would they accept this kind of behaviour towards any one of them? No, and that would be absolute hypocrisy. Why aren't the parents of these youths doing any parenting?! Discipline, morals, manners, respect... these Egyptian sexually-harassing youths that I keep reading about appear to have none of those things.
[Disclaimer: I am definitely not a feminist.]
to every one who left a comment to support me
ReplyDeletei ll never give up, I promise
thanks, many thanks
Really sorry for what happened with you, I don't know what to say to make you feel better, but just came across this page to know what is happening is the world we live it, take care!
ReplyDeleteWow I find this really interesting. I wonder if there would be this type of outrage in the United States (NO THERE WOULDN'T BE). I was reading this thinking... what did the boys actually do and then I realized that women in the USA are constantly put upon by men with demeaning remarks, harrassment, media, and inappropriate touching. I guess women in the USA just get used to it. YOU MUST STAND UP to this... if not the streets of Mokattam may end up being like the streets in the USA where here rape victims are too afraid to speak up for fear of being blamed.
ReplyDeleteHello,blogging or writing down the eminent events is really the job of a chronicler.I loved ur blog sooo much,and I hope to contact with you all the time.The essay is really very good.I read it all,and I loved your way in talking.sexual harrasment is now an international issue,but what had happned to Asr is not just a imply for harassment,but it caused a serious chronic phsycological condition not only to her but also to her daughter.The valguer boys who did that never thought in what would happned to sucha yound weak girl,so I strongly support Mrs.Asr.I thnks god because the accedent did not turned into a rape.Alhamdullah
ReplyDelete@autobus, my dear what those boys did is not accepted by any form in our society
ReplyDeleteI do not think it does not deserve our attention ,it is a big when you chase a woman and her daughter with a car screaming in a dirty language and there is a dozen of young men cheering for you ,
I am afraid that their action could have been escalated to rape with no doubt if the police did not show up
Already what they did is punishable by the law
@anonymous, we all should stand up whether in Egypt or the United States, it is not too late to do anything
@Hossam , thank you so much dear, thank God it did not reach to rape, I do not know how the little girls feel but if I were in their place ,I will be shocked and afraid to walk in the streets again
Women are sexually harassed everywhere, perhaps not as frequently as in Egypt - from what I read on Egyptian blogs in English and French - and we think that one of the best ways to deal with the problem is swift punishment for the perpetrators. Still, the three-year sentence (prison + hard labor) imposed last october on Sherif Goma'a is too long, especially for his (low-income) family, they need his financial support.
ReplyDeleteThis is why we agree with those who would prefer shorter sentences, in exchange for some kind of public humiliation, e.g. having to apologize to all women on TV, or cleaning the streets in his neighborhood, carrying a sign "I have sexually harassed a woman'.
Believe me, shame is a powerful deterrent for us, men. I still remember vividly being paraded in the streets with other freshmen ("bizuts", in French) of my university, wearing only our underpants, how humiliated we felt!
I have helped make those initiation rituals illegal in France, but I feel that, although we are in general against public shaming sentences, they might be justified in the case of men and boys who harass women sexually. They enjoy humiliating women, but they would HATE to be humiliated. I am quite sure that 99% of them would think twice before harassing women.
Delarue
www.uniondesvictimesdeletat.com
www.sos-bizutage.com