CAIRO (EGYPT) – In the wake of the MetToo movement gaining momentum in the country, Egyptian lawmakers are mulling a new legislation to protect the identity of women who step forward to report sexual abuse.
A parliamentary committee has given its nod to a draft legislation giving victims of sexual assault and harassment the right to remain anonymous during trial. The law is slated to be put to vote at the general session of the parliament later this month.
This comes as hundreds of women have revealed on social media how they faced sexual abuse and assault in Egypt with the public prosecution and National Council for Women offering legal and social protection.
For instance, data entry specialist Bassant Abdel Wahab, 22, recently revealed how she was sexually molested by a human rights activist when she was 17 and reported him to the civil society group where he works.
The man has been suspended and the organisation is looking into Abdel’s complaint including the allegations raised by other female colleagues.
“Sexual assault incidents that have been hidden for years are continuing to surface and in a raging way,” Abdel said.
“It is like a tsunami that could change attitudes and laws on sexual assault against women.”
The number of cases being reported in the Muslim nation began to go up after the 2011 revolution, which witnessed incidents of rape and assault on women in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, which made global headlines.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field
