Rampant Sexual Harassment in Egypt

NBC features a horrifying story on sexual assault mobs in Egypt.  Apparently, it is commonplace for groups of men to assault women in public places with impunity.  Police turn a blind eye, and it is left to other women or small volunteer groups to try to protect the victims.  From the article (click here to read the whole thing):

Public violence against women was rampant well before the movement that unseated Mubarak in 2011. According to a 2008 study by an Egyptian NGO, 83 percent of women have been victims of harassment.

In the post-Mubarak era, activists and protesters have reported many particularly violent assaults on women. Some experts allege the government and security officials are failing to take the problem seriously. More than 700 claims of harassment were filed across Egypt over the four-day Id al-Adha holiday in late October.

This is hard to even picture.  Obviously sexual assault occurs all over the world, but the way it’s described in this article is unreal – groups of men pawing at women in public squares on a regular basis.  Women scared to be in public.

Not all cultural structures are equal – there is something bankrupt in a male culture that allows for this kind of thing.  And don’t buy the argument that this is just a small perverted minority.  83% of women have been harassed.  And the police aren’t doing anything.  This is a widespread attitude.