"Sex mobs" target Egypt's women

[davidn3600]

CAIRO - Walaa Al Momtaz doesn’t leave her home for up to five days at a time. The neatly veiled 22-year-old misses her friends at City University, where she studies English and German, but what she faces upon leaving her house defeats her.

Men and boys constantly harass and threaten Al Momtaz on the bus, on the street and at the university.

"Every day men talk to me in a bad way, laugh at me and say things about what I am wearing," she told NBC News. On a recent bus trip, a man stuck his hand through a gap in the seat to touch her.

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.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/05/15675200-men-dont-have-to-worry-about-being-caught-sex-mobs-target-egypts-women?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=9

[MADem]

1. Despite assurances (like we're supposed to feel better about it) that this was going on before

the MB took power, that it's not a "new" thing, I'd put money on a bet that it's not just worse now in terms of violence, it's worse in terms of frequency.

And far from taking it seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if the behavior is encouraged to "put those women in their place."

Poor Egypt. Reminds me of Iran in 79.

[MAD Dave]

4. I too fear for Egypt.

The MB will likely install a Iranian style theocracy soon.

[Sherman A1]

2. Sad

simply sad.

[SheilaT]

3. And I have often read that being veiled in some way

is liberating, that it frees women from gender stereotypes. Gosh, how could that possibly go wrong?

[MADem]

5. I would advise anyone who takes that attitude to wrap themselves up in a

black wool blanket on a fine summer day, say, eighty or ninety degrees, being sure to cover themselves head to foot, and go walking around in the bright sunshine, and report back to us on how "liberated" they feel.

The reason that males demand hijab--note that in Iran and Saudi Arabia, as two prominent examples--women are not given a "choice"--it's the LAW that the women cover up-- is rather convoluted. The prevailing explanation I've heard goes like this:

Women are temptresses, and men are helpless before their feminine wiles. If they display themselves, men will become aroused and anything that happens--touching, grabbing, molestation, rape, what-have-you--is ENTIRELY THE WOMAN'S FAULT. Why? Because if she had only guarded her modesty, then the touching, grabbing, etc. would never have happened.

There is no expectation of "self control" when it comes to men. They aren't required to behave in a restrained manner, and it is up to the men who own--whoopsie, are related to and responsible for--those women to make sure they cover up and not disgrace the family name.

The attitudes you will find in many of these "Hijab Not Optional" nations and enclaves makes The Scarlet Letter read like a women's liberation manifesto. It's impossible to make people understand the reality of the oppression if they haven't lived in that kind of environment.

When I read that nonsense about the liberation of the veil I am appalled. There's no "liberation" when people are forced to do something, and have no choice. And truth is, many Islamic women here in USA who "choose" hijab are "choosing" it because they'll get the back of their husband's or father's hand if they "choose" any other option. It's a nasty little matter that no one likes to acknowledge, because then the whole issue of sexism and oppression mixed up with a (still rather exotic to many) religion and a culture have to be acknowledged, and whenever religion comes into the mix (why can't women be priests in the Catholic church, for example?) people get shirty and touchy and defensive (But WE'RE not like THAT--but some people, many people, in fact, ARE like that).

It never ends well, so people just avoid the issue.

[Odin2005]

6. Disgusting pigs! I refuse to call them "men"!