① A staff member on the train touches a part of the body
Taiwanese actress Maze Lin was sexually harassed during her trip to Egypt. She shared a video on her YouTube channel, “林嘉凌 薔薔Maze,” that she filmed during her trip to Egypt. Maze Lin and her companions boarded a train in Cairo to go to Luxor.
The inside of the train was made up of bed compartments. Ga-Heun was sitting on the upper bunk, and a male staff member brought her a meal.
During their conversation, the staff member touched her leg.
The staff member visited Maze Lin and her companions’ seats again.
While delivering food, he asked her if she was married.
He also asked for a beer, which was a request for a tip, but Maze Lin did not understand and continued the conversation.
They had a friendly conversation. The staff member tried to put her hand in his mouth.
He also touched parts of Maze Lin’s body and reached out to touch her while high-fiving.
After the video was released, netizens reacted that the staff member’s actions were clearly sexual harassment.
Comments included, “The staff member definitely touched Maze Lin’s body,” “It’s outrageous to behave like this in a confined train,” and “Why is he laughing and talking while behaving like sexual harassment?” “I don’t think I will go to Egypt.”
Maze Lin and her companions even took a photo with the staff member. Although the atmosphere seemed cheerful, the staff member’s behavior was anything but.
② Ongoing sexual harassment issues
Egypt is one of the countries where it can be risky for a woman to travel alone.
This is because incidents of sexual harassment and danger often occur during trips.
Egypt has been controversial for its ongoing issue of sexual harassment.
You can see some Egyptian men touching parts of women’s bodies and running away or persistently harassing women.
The biggest problem is that they don’t think they’ve done anything wrong, even when they commit these acts in broad daylight in the middle of the city.
They are usually teenagers who travel in groups and regularly sexually harass women.
In a 2013 survey conducted by the UN Gender Equality Agency, over 99% of female respondents said they had experienced sexual harassment.
Thus, sexual harassment has become a chronic social problem in Egypt.
To solve this problem, women-only compartments have been set up in Egypt’s public transportation.
In the past, a French female journalist reporting in Egypt had her microphone forcibly taken away by Egyptian men and was sexually assaulted during a live broadcast. Other female journalists also came forward, reporting incidents of group sexual assault and harassment at Tahrir Square. In 2013, there were protests against sexual violence held in Cairo, Egypt.
Sexual harassment has been treated as a crime in Egypt since 2014, but proper convictions have not been made against the perpetrators. Instead, there have been many absurd cases where the victimized women were punished for violating sexual norms.
In 2020, women in Egypt managed to get approval for a law amendment that prevents the public disclosure of victims of sexual assault. Human rights activists said, “We hope that the unusual public support for women will be a turning point in Egyptian society.”
③ Ongoing crimes against tourists
Last year, 13 teenagers who sexually harassed female tourists at the Egyptian pyramids were apprehended. One tourist took to social media to expose the incident, sharing a video with the caption, “Teenagers harassed female tourists.”
The teenage boys surrounded two female tourists, touched parts of their bodies and ran away, or ridiculed them by pushing their cell phones close to them.
The women tried to get away from the group of boys, but they followed the women, continuing their sexual harassment and molestation.
Even when the women showed their discomfort and spoke sternly, the boys giggled and continued their behavior.
When the video was released, netizens worldwide shared their experiences visiting Egypt and expressed their anger.
Comments included, “The same thing happened to my friend and me,” “Sexual harassment against tourists is particularly serious at the pyramids,” and “Egypt advertises that it is safe for tourists.”
The boys in the video were aged 13-15. They were all detained, and if charged, they will be tried in a juvenile court.
The Egyptian pyramids are particularly infamous among tourists. They are known for persistent sexual harassment, molestation, and following tourists with relentless solicitation.
By. Kim Minjae
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