Following the outrage about the recent sexual harassment scandal and there was a huge surge of support from celebrities all over the country. Here is an overview of the celebrities who used their massive platforms to join the fight against sexual harassment in Egypt.
Amr Salama, Director
Film director Amr Salama tackled the relationship between daughter and parents. He conveyed his bewilderment at the idea that some parents were against their daughters’ speaking out and he reassured every girl that speaking out is always the right thing to do.
Hend Sabry, Movie Star
“No means No,” was the definitive and clear-cut message that the legendary actress posted on social media. She went on to reveal the number of females who are harassed on a daily basis in Egypt, and did not report their cases to the authorities fearing the societal backlash that would follow. She noted that despite all these obstacles, some girls did speak out, and she expressed how grateful she was to every girl who was brave enough to share her story.
Laila Eloui, Movie Star
Actress Laila Eloui, expressed the common notion that almost all Egyptian girls are harassed. Expressing her dismay at the thought, the star went on to urge everyone to use the recent outrageous incident as an opportunity to end the danger that girls are subjected to. It is worth noting that Eloui previously starred in a film depicting women’s experiences with sexual abuse.
Lara Scandar, Singer
Scandar posted a video in which she called on her viewers to refuse to stay silent on the issue. She pointed out that it wasn’t a coincidence that women were constantly subjected to harassment and that the fact that men were taking these issues lightly was the main cause that such acts kept happening.
Marwan Moussa, Singer
The singer was praised after voicing his opinions on the privileges that Egyptian society accords to men over women. “There is no excuse for harassment” was the stance he was intent on forcefully expressing.
Rania Youssef, Actress
Rania Youssef, no stranger to public harassment, decided to take a new approach when the issue recently shocked the Egyptian public. She posted a video montage of Egyptian women in the past, when it was okay to pose in whatever clothes they chose to wear. When harassers reacted by sending her hate messages, she screenshot the messages and posted them on her stories to expose them. It is worth noting that the actress has often been the victim of female objectification in the Arab world. A few years ago she wore a revealing dress to a red carpet event, prompting someone to file a lawsuits against her for wearing “revealing clothes.” A legion of women (and men) came to her defense.
Salma Abu Deif
Abu Deif was one of the many women who bravely shared their own stories, recounting personal incidents ranging from a school bus driver touching her in an uncomfortable way, to a physician who used his position to intimidate her. This message resonated with a multitude of female viewers who experienced similar harassment issues that had a detrimental impact on their lives.
Contacts to report sexual harassment and assault:
Sexual Assault: 15115 or 01007525600
Domestic Abuse: 1600
Mental Health Support: 080-8880700
Suicide Prevention: 7621602
