Sexual harassment is a social disease in Egypt that has crippled our streets, schools, universities and work place in a noticeable way, throughout the past decade. I was coming out of the beauty salon and walking with my friend towards my car, which I parked across the street. We saw a man following us, carrying a lot of laundry, and we figured he was probably delivering laundry so we didn’t think much about it. We were surprised to find that what we thought was something normal turned out to be completely different! He moved the laundry away from his body and we found him half naked from the bottom, looking at us and pointing at his sexual organs. We totally freaked out and jumped inside the car, but he kept on approaching as I started the car and in my severe anger I decided to hit him with the car. When he understood my intentions of hitting him he jumped on the sidewalk and ran off. I really can’t explain the trepidation me and my friend felt, but things like that happen to a lot of women today who just walk a few blocks away from home or just buy their grocery from a store which is a one minute away from their cars.
N.N
When Egypt won the first match against Algeria, everyone was celebrating in every district of Cairo. As an American citizen, I celebrated with my fellow study-abroad students in front of the college dorms in Zamalek. Near where we were celebrating, there was a crowd of other people celebrating the triumph. I was wearing a red t-shirt and a pair of exercise pants and there were three male friends with me. A number of men left the other crowd and came towards me, as if I were their prey. I cried out loud and totally freaked out; I was unable to understand what was really wrong with them. My friends and I somehow became separated from each other in the midst of the crowd and they couldn’t hear my voice when I cried out for them. When they finally saw me, the harassers grabbed my pants and wanted to stick their hands inside! Thank God my friends came running to me right away, and the other men fled by the time my friends reached me. It was really disappointing to go out and celebrate the Egyptian triumph and be harassed by Egyptian men instead!
B.M
