Sexual harassment is considered among the great sins in Islam, said Dar Al-Ifta in a Monday statement, warning against committing acts of harassment against women.
The statement, issued on the first day of Eid Al-Adha, noted that harassment is one of the worst actions according to Islamic Sharia law.
Harassment against women is a noted problem during Eid Al-Adha, as many take to the streets to celebrate the holiday and crowds gather in popular destinations, leading to conditions where harassment becomes more rampant.
“Actions of harassment are issued only from ill souls and sordid fancies that seek lust without relying on the mind,” the statement read.
Sexual harassment is a problem that has long plagued Egyptian woman, with most experiencing harassment on a daily basis. Sexual harassment could occur as physical or verbal harassment, as well as over phones or through other forms of technology.
According to a 2008 Egyptian Centre for Women’s Rights (ECWR) survey, 98% of foreign women and 83% of Egyptian women have been sexually harassed in Egypt.
According to Egypt’s penal code, sexual harassment is a crime. However, the law is not effectively implemented due to the less than cooperative attitude towards harassment victims. Many initiatives and non-governmental organisations have called for stricter and more comprehensive laws to combat sexual violence against women.
(AFP FILE PHOTO/KHALED DESOUKI)
