Egyptian Protests

Not wanting to upset anyone, but while others are cheering on the Egyptians protesting, alas women have yet again become another statistic...

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/almost-100-women-in-tahrir-square-cairo-egypt-sex-attacks/story-fni0xs61-1226673987126


CLOSE to 100 women have fallen victim to "rampant" sexual attacks in Cairo's Tahrir Square during four days of protests against Egypt's former President Mohamed Morsi.  
 
Mobs sexually assaulted and in some cases raped at least 91 women in Tahrir Square ... amid a climate of impunity,'' HRW, which is based in New York, said in a statement.

It cited figures from the Egyptian Operation Anti-Sexual Harassment/Assault, which runs a hotline for victims of sexual assault, showing that there were 46 such attacks against women on Sunday, 17 on Monday and 23 on Tuesday.

Another women's rights group, Nazra for Feminist Studies, reported that there were another five attacks on Friday, said HRW.

The watchdog called on Egyptian officials and political leaders "across the spectrum to condemn and take immediate steps to address the horrific levels of sexual violence'' in the iconic square.

"The rampant sexual attacks during the Tahrir Square protests highlight the failure of the government and all political parties to face up to the violence that women in Egypt experience on a daily basis in public spaces," said Joe Stork, HRW's deputy Middle East director.

"These are serious crimes that are holding women back from participating fully in the public life of Egypt at a critical point in the country's development."

Several women required surgical intervention after the attacks, some were "beaten with metal chains, sticks, and chairs, and attacked with knives," HRW said.

The Government response has been to "downplay the extent of the problem or to seek to address it through legislative reform alone," whereas what is needed is for attackers to be brought to justice, HRW said.

Some say the attacks are staged by thugs who are abusing a security vacuum and confident of escaping prosecution.

Others say the assaults are organised to scare women off from joining protests and to stain the image of the anti-government demonstrations.

Last time when Egypt had those protests it happened too. I believe those attacs are organised to scare woman and also they families off from joining protests.

This country has so many problems I don't believe if they chose another leader it will change. Democracy is an endless journy and doesn't happen over night.

I was really angry reading that

But also happy to see some pics where lot of men protected women by a "human cord" while protesting together

Still angry bec it mustn't happen 
But anyway they did something in the good direction

Revolution interrupted....

Ordinary men and women go about there business as usual...in the middle of a revolution and despite the "thug" element.....x

Its pitiful really, just another way of trying to stop women from using their voices - this kind of violence upsets me no end especially as they are protesting - maybe all the women in Egypt should protest publicly about being raped.

Remember the case in India? It was so "normal" that woman got raped over years until this one case were the woman died and got so brutaly raped got heated up in the media and than so many woman were in the streets and protested.

I think before most woman in Egypt go on the streets something really bad needs to happen until it explode. Like in Inida. But if that helps. After all the media intention in India a woman got gang raped again.

Only people can change a country but it looks like some people will never change and if they are the majority than good bless......