The recent allegations of sexual harassment against Hollywood public figures have sent ripples worldwide. The metoo hashtag on social media united not only female victims but also many male supporters.
At that time, in the early and mids, it never extended beyond mostly catcalls on the street, unwanted smiles, or insinuations. But, over time, the way predatory men started to harass women has begun shifting to more insulting, derogatory calls, even exposing genitals and touching or groping women on the street.
As girls, we used to share these stories together in the privacy of our rooms. We were too afraid to tell our parents.
The rising wave of harassment had reached a peak when the case of a young film-maker named Noha El Ostaz hit the news. After being groped by a passing truck driver who then accelerated and dragged her until she fell, she insisted on taking the man to the police station despite public pleas to let him go. She endured lengthy court procedures, offensive questions from the public prosecutor, public debasement and accusations until she finally won her case and the harasser received a three-year jail sentence.
Most street harassers come from a low economic status and spend much of their time at the roadside working in roles such as coffee shop staff, mechanics, builders, labourers, and public bus drivers. They see the street as their personal domain, and the women who enter it must be prepared to endure whatever comment comes into their minds.
