Hussein Elshafei of Harassmap in Egypt shared what his organization did for International Anti-Street Harassment Week:“Harassmap is an initiative with the mission to end the social acceptability of sexual harassment in Egypt.
In pursuit of that mission. 2 volunteer groups were mobilized on the 5th and the 6th of April, in Giza and Alexandria respectively. They targeted bystanders on the streets, and conducted successful campaigns to turn their neighborhoods into safe areas. Safe areas are not necessarily free of sexual harassment. However, a safe area guarantees that, if harassment happens, there will be social consequences.
The Giza team conducted its outreach campaign at a bus stop. Reactions varied from aggression to complete understanding and changing perceptions. A graffiti message that says, “Be a man; protect her from harassment instead of harassing her” and another that says, “No to harassment,” were made during the campaign.
The Alexandria team conducted its campaign around Alexandria’s biggest shopping mall. A sexist graffiti that promotes violent harassment was erased by the volunteers and they wrote ‘Love’ instead.”
