On Wednesday, the Human Rights Campaign confirmed that mobs of men sexually assaulted and in some cases raped at least 91 women in Tahrir Square over the four days of protests beginning on June 30, 2013, amidst what they described as "a climate of impunity." Hours later, a coalition of Egyptian women's rights organizations released a statement that 10 more cases had been reported, raising the number of sexually violent attacks on female protestors to more than 100 instances.
Four of the women required medical assistance, including two who were evacuated from the Square via ambulance. Women's advocacy groups have reported instances of female protestors being beaten with metal chains, sticks, and chairs, attacked with knives, sexually assaulted and even raped with sharp objects. Some of the victims were attacked for as long as 45 minutes before they were able to escape. On Monday, a 22 year-old Dutch journalist reporting from Tahrir Square was allegedly raped by 5 men and required surgery for her "horrific injuries."
Although sexual harassment of women in Egypt has been a problem for decades, the type of mob sexual assaults being directed against female protestors have only recently come to light since the 2011 Egypt Revolution. Activist Hussein El-Shafie, a volunteer for Operation Anti-Sexual Harassment/Assault (OpAntiSH), an organization which works to end sexual violence against Egyptian women, described his experience rescuing 10 women from a mob of men in Tahrir Square on January 25, 2013, the second anniversary of the revolution.
"During the attacks, the women often find themselves trapped inside what some have called 'the circle of hell,' a mob of 200 or 300 men who fought with one another to pull, shove, beat, and strip them," Al-Ahram wrote. El-Shafie also told the paper that volunteers typically have just two minutes to get to a woman being mobbed and save her. Any more than that could be too late.
Wow! Tahrir Square women and drums in center & thousands of men chanting the Egyptian Anthem via @paulageraghty
Simon Walid Assaf
@SWassaf
Wow! Tahrir Square women and drums in center & thousands of men chanting the Egyptian Anthem via @paulageraghty
In February, following an investigation into the rise of sexual violence against women during mass protests, the Human Rights Committee of the Shura Council, Egypt's upper house of Parliament, blamed the female victims for "caus[ing] rape upon themselves."
"A woman who joins protests among thugs and street inhabitants should protect herself before asking the Ministry of Interior to offer her protection," prominent politician Adel Afifi said during the council's address on sexual harassment. "Women sometimes cause rape upon themselves through putting themselves in a position which makes them subject to rape." Afifi also alluded that many of the reported "rapes" were in fact consensual acts of prostitution.
"The woman bears the offense when she chooses to protest in places filled with thugs," agreed another council member. "Women should not mingle with men during protests. How can the Ministry of Interior be tasked with protecting a lady who stands among a group of men?"
The government response only served to galvanize the volunteer groups which had emerged to protect female protestors, such as OpAntiSH and the Tahrir Bodyguards, both founded in late 2012.
We are at our #selfdefense course in Samia Allouba Mohandeseen . If you want to join us next week,email us! #endSH
Tahrir Bodyguard
@TahrirBodyguard
We are at our #selfdefense course in Samia Allouba Mohandeseen . If you want to join us next week,email us! #endSH
Teams of @OpAntiSH and @TahrirBodyguard are present in #Tahrir Sq.preventing sexual terrorism from happening,securing an equal space for all
Tahrir Bodyguard
@TahrirBodyguard
Teams of @OpAntiSH and @TahrirBodyguard are present in #Tahrir Sq.preventing sexual terrorism from happening,securing an equal space for all
In #Tahrir, @OpAntiSH and @TahrirBodyguard cordon off the genders so women can enjoy the rally free of harassment.
ارون Aaron T. Rose
@Aaron_T_Rose
In #Tahrir, @OpAntiSH and @TahrirBodyguard cordon off the genders so women can enjoy the rally free of harassment.
Our men and women ready in #Tahrir .We'r disgusted by the amount of sexual attacks taking place in our society,that's why why took an action
Tahrir Bodyguard
@TahrirBodyguard
Our men and women ready in #Tahrir .We'r disgusted by the amount of sexual attacks taking place in our society,that's why why took an action
In addition to patrolling Tahrir Square during protests and answering distress calls, the Tahrir Bodyguards offer free self-defense classes for any women who wish to learn how to protect themselves.
#women of #Egypt , #sexualharassment should NEVER be accepted. We work to empower women and combat #sexualterrorism
Tahrir Bodyguard
@TahrirBodyguard
#women of #Egypt , #sexualharassment should NEVER be accepted. We work to empower women and combat #sexualterrorism
The actions of these volunteer groups save women each night of the protests...
just witnessed @OpAntiSH and @TahrirBodyguard working together on Tahrir St to get a woman out of a mob sexual assault & into a safe car
Angela Smith
@AngelaSnacks
just witnessed @OpAntiSH and @TahrirBodyguard working together on Tahrir St to get a woman out of a mob sexual assault & into a safe car
Often at great personal risk.
One member of @TahrirBodyguard On his way to #Tahrir stopped a mob assault, helping 4 women.He was stabbed and got stiches.He's back to work
mar
Tahrir sexual assault intervention volunteers prepare to prevent repeat of last night's 40+ cases #June30
Ghazala Irshad
@ghazalairshad
Tahrir sexual assault intervention volunteers prepare to prevent repeat of last night's 40+ cases #June30
During Sunday's protests, the BBC's Jeremy Bowen tweeted about a woman taking refuge in their building from a mob of men.
In #tahrir tonight woman hiding in the building BBC using as a live position, protected from gang outside trying to sexually assault her.
Jeremy Bowen
@BowenBBC
In #tahrir tonight woman hiding in the building BBC using as a live position, protected from gang outside trying to sexually assault her.
Sadly #tahrir revolutionary atmosphere of people behaving well with common purpose long gone. Sexual assault common. no cops In sight.
Jeremy Bowen
@BowenBBC
Sadly #tahrir revolutionary atmosphere of people behaving well with common purpose long gone. Sexual assault common. no cops In sight.
Local residents looking after the woman hiding in building BBC using for lives in #tahrir.
Jeremy Bowen
@BowenBBC
Local residents looking after the woman hiding in building BBC using for lives in #tahrir.
On Wednesday, the Egyptian military reportedly cordoned off a women-only protest area in an attempt to cut down on harassment, according to Al Jazeera.
Inside the women's circle on #Tahrir Surrounded by hundreds of fierce Egyptian women
Ester Meerman
@estermeerman
Inside the women's circle on #Tahrir Surrounded by hundreds of fierce Egyptian women
The identity of the attackers is unknown – to date, no arrests have been made. Some suspect that the government may be using sexual violence as political or psychological weapon, while others speculate that it might be a tactic of organized criminal gangs. While Egyptians await answers, women going to Tahrir Square are urged to be aware that they also may find themselves trapped in the circle of hell.
"I don't think their tactic will scare women, but definitely any woman who goes to Tahrir must know the consequences," Engy Ghozlan, founder of the volunteer initiative Harassmap, told Al-Ahram. "You may get shot, you may get tear gassed and you may also get raped and sexually assaulted."
Victims of sexual violence in Tahrir Square tell their stories.
