I'm Speechless
“During Eid, I had heard rumours and secondhand "friend of a friend" accounts of chaos in downtown Cairo on the first day of Eid - apparently a massive crowd of less-desirable characters were roaming the streets in a huge pack, finding women on the street and mass assaulting them. I was far away in Dahhab and didnt really want to think about it, and when I got a few minutes of internet access I couldn't find anything at all about it.” –Tom Gara
I can’t think of a word strong enough to describe the abomination that this event represents.
There are accounts all over the place. This one is particularly detailed.
posted by kent @ 3:13 a.m.
5
comments
5 Comments:
This is gut-wrenchingly disturbing.
I suspect that this sort of behavior occurs when males (including the clerics) start to see their power over women eroding. They start clutching at whatever devices they can find to prevent women from escaping their "role". Fear of male reprisal works wonders on some women, but has the opposite effect on others.
I am sure that right now there are educated Egytian women meeting to brainstorm what they can do to change their society's view of women. Change does not come from the males, it comes from the females.
I am sure that the future will prove that this sort of violence marks the beginning of the end for their male-dominated culture.
It may surprise many readers to know that it wasn't that long ago in western society that women wouldn't press charges against their rapist because judges blamed the women for having been raped. Her previous sexual conduct and her attire were brought up during the trial!! Yes, as recently as 30 yrs ago, in our society, women were lead to believe it was their own fault!!
Our society is not long out of the grip of male-domination. Remember the women's liberation movement? It happened in the 70's. It started with women. It worked.
Until women choose to take action to improve their own situation, things will not change. It takes courage, it takes guts and it takes time.
I hope it happens sooner rather than later, but they are starting from a much different point than western women started.
I wish them luck.
Kent, that made my skin crawl. I'm nauseated by the idea of that happening, anywhere.
I echo your mom's comment.
Ugh, that's awful. Yet at least it's encouraging that strangers helped some of these women by trying to protect them.
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