Thursday March 28th, 2024
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Egyptian Authority Step Up Against Sexual Harassment in Eid

Catcalling may very well get your a year in prison warns Egyptian police Colonel Manal Atef.

Staff Writer

Eid is days away, a holiday celebrated with family, friends, new clothes and tasty treats. The holy holiday has been tarnished however with an increase of cases of sexual harassment causing many parents to prohibit their daughters from taking part in the annual celebration. With many demanding Eid be remembered as a religious holiday filled with healthy vibes, authorities are preparing to crackdown on harassers.

Colonel Manal Atef, heading the Violence Against Women department in the Ministry of Interior, has announced that female police officers will be present in larger numbers on the streets as well as in public transportation which are usual hotspots for sexual harassment. Dedicated operation rooms will be set up all over Egyptian handling citizen complaints adding that, according to law, harassers can get up to one year in prison for verbal harassment. The numbers accepting calls are 0112697722, 0112677333, 0112697744.

A new law in 2014 has made it mandatory that there be a department to combat violence against women in every police precinct. Impressively, Colonel Atef spoke transparently stating that they acknowledge that there are some officers who commit the crime of harassment themselves and they will be facing double the punishment. She also reiterated that they are suffering from a low number of female police officers. If policing is every your thing now is the time to apply, the country needs you; “it certainly does not matter what you are wearing, no woman is safe from harassment and I will make sure this is no longer the case,” said Colonel Atef to Youm7.