A video posted to YouTube showed men dragging a naked and beaten woman out of Tahrir Square in Cairo Egypt during the Inauguration Celebration of newly elected President al-Sisi. The video helped identify some of those men who were responsible for the crime, but also set off international outrage for the treatment of women in Egypt. The viral nature with which the video took off and caught the attention of rights groups and media outlets has created pressure for the Egyptian government to take action against these crimes. There were reports of multiple rapes and sexual assaults during the gathering for the Presidential inauguration, and event which seems like it should be far removed from sexual violence.
Egyptian courts have announced that they will be sending 13 individuals to trial after being identified by eye witnesses and video footage. This announcement marks a turning point in Egypt’s stance on women’s rights in the recent past, where reports of sexual violence have gone mostly unresolved recently. Egypt had also recently announced new laws that would require those found guilty of sexual violence to spend a minimum term in prison as well as pay a financial fine.
The newly elected President al-Sisi took the time to visit one of the assault victims in the hospital to show his compassion for what happened to the young woman. He vowed that the country would take action against those responsible for her attacks.
Some have speculated that the rise in attacks on women has been meant to deter protests and uprisings, and to specifically target young women who may rally towards equal rights. By being violent towards women, perhaps those who are opposed to women’s rights may have caused enough fear to keep women from rallying in support of one another, out of fear for their personal safety.
In the past Egypt’s courts have been quick to convict people to harsh crimes when there is international pressure. The court’s actions leave many to wonder if their display of justice in times like this is simply done as a circus act, or if there is legal justice and due process involved in these trials.
YouTube Video Helps Egyptian Government Send 13 To Trial For Sexual Assault.
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