Female police officers to combat sexual harassment in Eid

CAIRO – 24 June 2017: Eid in Egypt has come to be associated with sexual harassment over the last decade, stirring controversy across the country. This has led the Ministry of Interior to increase female police patrols in an effort to detect and report incidents of harassment and arrest harassers.

Female police officers revealed on Saturday, their plans and preparations for the three-day holiday, which begins Sunday. Female officers have been equipped with several items to assist them in their duties, such as iron batons.

“Anyone who would harass a woman would regret it,” one policewoman said.

Female police will be present heavily in Greater Cairo, where most incidents occur, especially in parks, cinemas, metro stations and other crowded areas.

Legal experts told Egypt Today that the punishment for verbal harassment is one year in prison, while physical harassment could land the offender in prison for five to seven years.

Due to the increase in crimes of violence against women, the Ministry of Interior established a department to combat the phenomenon in May 2013; the department recruits mainly female officers.