Mass sexual assault in Egypt

"Taharrush" redirects here. For mass sexual assault in other countries, see Mass sexual assault.
Mass sexual assault in Egypt
Tahrir Square, Cairo, where hundreds of women have been sexually assaulted
Local terms
ActivismHARASSmap, Operation Anti Sexual Harassment
RelatedSexual assault, sexual violence, gang rape

The mass sexual assault of women in public has been documented in Egypt since 2005,[n 1] when Egyptian security forces and their agents were accused of using it as a weapon against female protesters during a political demonstration in Tahrir Square, Cairo on 25 May.[3] The behavior spread, and by 2012 sexual assault by crowds of young men was seen at protests and festivals in Egypt.[4][5]

In these assaults, assailants would encircle a woman while outer rings of men deter rescuers. The attackers regularly pretended to be there to help the women, adding to the confusion. Women reported being groped, stripped, beaten, bitten, penetrated with fingers, and raped.[2]: 38–41  The attacks were described as the "circle of hell".[n 2]

Commentators say the attacks reflect a misogynistic attitude among Egyptian society that penalizes women for leaving the house, seeks to terrorize them out of public life, and views sexual violence as a source of shame for the victim, not the attacker. Sexual assault has been used as a weapon against female protesters in 2005 and since July 2012.[8]: 4–8 

  1. ^ Shams, Alex (21 January 2016). "Neither Taharrush Gamea Nor Sexism Are Arab 'Cultural Practices'", Huffington Post.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Amnesty2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Slackman10June2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kassab20Sept2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Emily Dugan, "Revealed: Egypt is the worst Arab country for women", The Independent, 11 November 2013.
  6. ^ Patrick Kingsley, "80 sexual assaults in one day – the other story of Tahrir Square", The Guardian, 5 July 2013.
  7. ^ Fathi, Yasmine (21 February 2013). "The circle of hell: Inside Tahrir's mob sexual assault epidemic", Al-Ahram.
  8. ^ Magda Adly, "Sexual Assault and Rape in Tahrir Square and its Vicinity: A Compendium of Sources 2011–2013", El-Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture, with the Nazra for Feminist Studies, and the New Woman Foundation, February 2013.


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