Sadly I faced a technical glitch that deleted a round-up of important articles from the end of April I wrote a few days ago, so I’m trying again.
Bangladesh, “Many cases of sexual harassment reported during Bangladeshi New Year Celebration”:
“The joyous celebration of the Bengali New Year 1422 was marred by a mass sexual assault against a group of women on the campus of Dhaka University on Tuesday evening last week.
Some 30 to 40 rowdy youths assaulted and sexually harassed around 20 women at the gate of Dhaka’s lush green Suhrawardy Udyan Park while the women were returning home late afternoon after celebrating the New Year along with family members and friends.
The incident caused a massive show of indignation and anger throughout the county. A barrage of protests and calls for the government to bring about justice for the victims were posted on social media.” (More from BDNews24)
Canada, “Sexual harassment has women scared along Calgary’s Red Mile”:
“Sexual harassment has reportedly been rampant during post‐game Red Mile celebrations, and there is even the hashtag #CansForMonahan encouraging women to flash their breasts in support of the Flames that has been making the rounds on the Internet….All this has led the Calgary Flames management to take action. Flames executives Ken King and Brian Burke are telling hockey fans along the Red Mile to stop the sexual harassment and intimidation of women during the playoffs.”
Canada, “Red Mile catcalling prompts ‘pussy cats consent’ team during Flames game”
Egypt, “Calls to Establish Tribunal for Women’s Abuse and Harassment in Egypt”:
“In an effort to crackdown on violence against women and sexual harassment, the National Council of Women has proposed the establishment of special tribunals and judicial departments…
In statements to Youm7, Ambassador Al-Tellawy said that the strategy includes the issuance of a new legislative instrument that would aim to punish crimes of violence against women. Currently, for example, Egypt’s law does not consider forced anal penetration as rape.
The Ambassador hopes to expand the definition of violence against women in the law to include both mental and physical violence, adding that a proposed definition of violence is “any existing act on a human being, whether physical, sexual or psychological or an act causing suffering to women or girls, or the threat of such acts, whether or not they take place in the public or private sphere.” The Ambassador added that the NCW will aim to clearly include domestic violence as a form of a punishable crime.
In regards to the difficulties faced by women reporting cases of sexual violence and harassment, the Ambassador said that a main focus of the strategy would be to implement tribunals that would deal specifically with cases of violence against women, including sexual harassment.”
Egypt, “Women Battle to Report Sexual Harassment in Egypt”:
“It’s been more than ten months since Egypt adopted a new law that was supposed to make it easier for women in Egypt to press charges against someone who has sexually harassed them. Unfortunately, in reality, not much has changed.”
Egypt, “Rare prison sentence given to sexual harasser in Cairo”:
“A man received a five-year prison sentence Sunday for sexually harassing a woman on public transport in Cairo, a rare victory for anti-harassment groups that struggle to take cases through court.
The Abdeen Court found the man guilty of “indecency” for harassment on a microbus in an incident dating back to 2013.
Following the attack, the man attempted to jump from the window of the moving vehicle. However, he was apprehended by fellow passengers, according to information given to Daily News Egypt from the Cairo Center for Development (CCD) support group. The man was taken to a police station, where a case was immediately filed against him.”
Egypt, “Report indicates increased sexual harassment in third 100 days under Sisi”
Egypt, “A Day in the Life of an Egyptian Harasser”
Guyana, “New anti-violence campaign targets street harassment”:
In Guyana, Witness Project, a local arts-based group, is now tackling street harassment through a campaign that uses visuals and an online forum to capture attention and encourage conversation on the problem.
India, “Youth killed for trying to save sister from sexual harassment”:
Harassers shot dead a young man and critically injured his brother after they opposed their attempt to sexually harass their sister at a village in Nalanda district.
India, “I Was Sexually Harassed At Delhi Airport. This Is My Story”
UK, “Women march through Liverpool city centre to ‘Reclaim the Night’ and stand up to sexual harassment”:
Fifty people marched through Liverpool, UK, last week to “Reclaim the Night.” One participant said, “We live in a world where everyday sexism; a ‘cheeky grope’ in a club, unwelcome whistles or catcalls in the street, the unwanted escort home by a stranger after a night out and actual sexual assault are less offensive to some people than the length of a girl’s skirt, her drinking habits and sexual history.”
USA, ”We Done Already Told Y’all: Black Women Don’t Owe Men a ‘Hello’”:
“The problem is, men who catcall and harass women on the streets do not see us as autonomous beings. This is especially true in how they view black women. Street harassment is a mechanism used to reinforce power by intimidating women, dominating public spaces, and making it uncomfortable for women to enter any space. Street harassment makes us feel as if we’re treated like we exist only for male consumption, sexual gratification, and exploitation.
I’m not particularly bothered when men say a friendly hello or respectfully compliment an outfit. I’m bothered by the men who chase me down asking for my number, the men who follow me, the men who can’t take no for an answer, and the ones who yell vulgar comments as I pass by. It makes me uncomfortable and I deserve to exercise my right to exist in public.”
USA, “The Sexual Politics of Playing Mas in Brooklyn”
“I was 24 years old the first time I played mas. I jumped up and got on bad in my outfit. I wined to the ground. I danced with men when I wanted to and danced alone when I wanted to. In the carnival atmosphere, I was in control; I owned my body, my sexuality, and whatever I wanted to do with either. To be entirely honest, male aggression was present—but it was generally policed by bystanders, and men backed off if a boundary was crossed. The environment was far from perfect, but I felt like my will and desires were respected…
But when I got off the parade route, all that power to safely reject male advances vaporized. Off de road, there was a different reality: I was an object for sexual consumption.
I met up with two friends, also black twenty-something, feminine presenting women. The attention I received would have been alarming if I had been fully dressed, as they were. But there I was, getting hissed at and ruthlessly accosted in my bra top and feathered headpiece…
Every spring, those of us who are frequently harassed on the streets celebrate the return of sunshine, but curse the increase in street activity. More people on the street inherently means more opportunities for unwanted advances. Forget how we might be dressed, simply being outside is reason enough to be ogled, barked at, told to smile, asked to show our breasts, followed home, or even killed.
It’s no wonder I’d felt safer grinding on strangers during the parade than I did walking down the street steps away from the parade. I’d felt respected. I’d felt like a human being.
What is it about rape culture that flipped on the objectification like a light switch when the cultural celebration was put to the side?”
USA, “#FreetoMove is Doing Something about Sexual Violence”
“The climate of sexual abuse and objectification in the electronic scene is finally getting some much deserved attention, but all the talk has been accompanied by a lack of action. Isabelle Comber has decided to do something about it.
She’s started a campaign with Stoney Roads called Free To Move, successfully rallying a collection of industry influencers to step up and do something about the rampant sexual abuse in the nightlife scene.
In 2014, a study by Drinkaware found that out of 1,198 women surveyed between the ages of 18-24, nearly one-third were groped or received unwanted physical advances during a night out. Only 19% of these women were at all surprised by what had happened, affirming Isabelle Comber’s statement, “the violence isn’t just common, it’s an accepted part of the culture.””
USA, “This is who you are when you’re catcalling”
“If explaining why women should not be subjected to comments from strangers on the street about their appearance is proving difficult, just turn on this video and say: “This. This is who you are when you catcall. This guy. Do. Not. Be. This. Guy.”
