Egyptian women protesters forced to take ‘virginity tests’

23 March 2011

Amnesty International has today called on the Egyptian authorities to investigate serious allegations of torture, including forced ‘virginity tests’, inflicted by the army on women protesters arrested in Tahrir Square earlier this month.

After army officers violently cleared the square of protesters on 9 March, at least 18 women were held in military detention. Amnesty International has been told by women protesters that they were beaten, given electric shocks, subjected to strip searches while being photographed by male soldiers, then forced to submit to ‘virginity checks’ and threatened with prostitution charges.

‘Virginity tests’ are a form of torture when they are forced or coerced.

"Forcing women to have ‘virginity tests’ is utterly unacceptable. Its purpose is to degrade women because they are women," said Amnesty International. "All members of the medical profession must refuse to take part in such so-called 'tests'."

20-year-old Salwa Hosseini told Amnesty International that after she was arrested and taken to a military prison in Heikstep, she was made, with the other women, to take off all her clothes to be searched by a female prison guard, in a room with two open doors and a window. During the strip search, Salwa Hosseini said male soldiers were looking into the room and taking pictures of the naked women.

The women were then subjected to ‘virginity tests’ in a different room by a man in a white coat. They were threatened that “those not found to be virgins” would be charged with prostitution.

According to information received by Amnesty International, one woman who said she was a virgin but whose test supposedly proved otherwise was beaten and given electric shocks.

“Women and girls must be able to express their views on the future of Egypt and protest against the government without being detained, tortured, or subjected to profoundly degrading and discriminatory treatment,” said Amnesty International.

“The army officers tried to further humiliate the women by allowing men to watch and photograph what was happening, with the implicit threat that the women could be at further risk of harm if the photographs were made public.”

Journalist Rasha Azeb was also detained in Tahrir Square and told Amnesty International that she was handcuffed, beaten and insulted.

Following their arrest, the 18 women were initially taken to a Cairo Museum annex where they were reportedly handcuffed, beaten with sticks and hoses, given electric shocks in the chest and legs, and called “prostitutes”.

Rasha Azeb could see and hear the other detained women being tortured by being given electric shocks throughout their detention at the museum. She was released severalhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif hours later with four other men who were also journalists, but 17 other women were transferred to the military prison in Heikstep

Testimonies of other women detained at the same time collected by the El Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence are consistent with Rasha Azeb and Salwa Hosseini’s accounts of beatings, electrocution and ‘virginity tests’.

“The Egyptian authorities must halt the shocking and degrading treatment of women protesters. Women fully participated in bringing change in Egypt and should not be punished for their activism,” said Amnesty International.

“All security and army forces must be clearly instructed that torture and other ill-treatment, including forced ‘virginity tests’, will no longer be tolerated, and will be fully investigated. Those found responsible for such acts must be brought to justice and the courageous women who denounced such abuses be protected from reprisals.”

All 17 women detained in the military prison were brought before a military court on 11 March and released on 13 March. Several received one-year suspended prison sentences.

Salwa Hosseini was convicted of disorderly conduct, destroying private and public property, obstructing traffic and carrying weapons.

Amnesty International opposes the trial of civilians before military courts in Egypt, which have a track record of unfair trials and where the right to appeal is severely restricted.


http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/egyptian-women-protesters-forced-take-%E2%80%98virginity-tests%E2%80%99-2011-03-23

Lara Logan breaks her silence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO12X1nhzzk&feature=player_embedded

Combating violence against women in Egypt

What are the examples of violence against women in Egypt?

· Threatening or actual use of physical, psychological or sexual abuse against a woman by her family members or other intimates.

· Commonly referenced behaviors included within the broad category of violence against women include: homicide, domestic violence, partner abuse, psychological abuse, dating violence, spousal abuse, woman battering, elder abuse, sexual assault, date rape, marital rape, and stranger rape.

· Some of the root causes of Domestic Violence include: power and control, growing up in a cycle of violence and abuse, and a distorted concept of manhood.

· Trafficking in women and Exploitation of prostitution of women.

· Early marriage.

· Forcing women to have many kids.

· Homeless ladies abuse.

· Organ trafficking.

· Emotional violence.

· Keeping her from work experience and learning.

· All kinds of crimes against women committed in the name of honor.

· Female genital mutilation (FGM).

· Gender Discrimination.

· Unwanted pressure for dates.

· Unwanted sexual teasing, jokes, remarks, or questions.

· Referring to an adult as a girl, hunk, doll, babe, or honey.

· Whistling at someone.

· Cat calls.

· Sexual comments.

· Turning work discussions to sexual topics.

· Sexual innuendos or stories.

· Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences, or history.

· Personal questions about social or sexual life.

· Sexual comments about a person's clothing, anatomy, or looks.

· Kissing sounds, howling, and smacking lips.

· Telling lies or spreading rumors about a person's personal sex life.

· Neck massage.

· Touching an employee's clothing, hair, or body.

· Giving personal gifts.

· Hanging around a person.

· Hugging, kissing, patting, or stroking.

· Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person.

· Standing close or brushing up against a person.

· Looking a person up and down (elevator eyes).

· Staring at someone.

· Sexually suggestive signals.

· Facial expressions, winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips.

· Making sexual gestures with hands or through body movements.

· Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault.

· Unwanted pressure for sexual favors.

· Unwanted deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or pinching.

· Unwanted sexual looks or gestures.

· Unwanted letters, telephone calls, or materials of a sexual nature.

· Blocking a person's path.

· Following the person.

· Giving personal gifts.

· Displaying sexually suggestive visuals.

Statistics

· According to the national statistics from the Egypt Demographic and Health Survey (1996) of a sample of 14,000 married women, of those who reported having being beaten, 32% were beaten during pregnancy, with younger pregnant women experiencing this more frequently than older women (41% of women aged 15-19 compared to 26% of women aged 40- 49). This indicates the low status of younger married women within the family.( Quoted in Al-Nadim Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence)

· WHO (World Health Organization) statistics for 1995 showed an estimated 97% prevalence of FGM and another survey published on the WHO web site found that 80% of the female population are victims of FGM. (World Health Organization, Female Genital Mutilation: An Overview“, 1998, available at http://www.who.int/dsa/cat98/fgmbook.htm#46.)

· A study - carried out between January and March 1997 on a sample of 100 women aged between 14 and 65 years old (married or having been married) from Manshiet Nasser, an informal settlement located ten minutes from the city of Cairo - reveals that 30% of the women questioned admitted to being subjected to domestic violence on a daily basis, 34% on a weekly basis, 15% on a monthly basis and 21% occasionally. For 75% of these women, the main reason for this domestic violence was found to be sexual. Women are beaten, raped or abused for having refused to have sex with their husbands. Other reasons cited were spending (65%), visiting (32%), housework (25%), religion (8%), jealousy (6%) and disobedience (5%). Sixteen percent of the women suffered injuries necessitating hospitalization, such as broken arms, broken ribs, internal bleeding and wounds in the head or the arms requiring stitches, while 9% of them attempted to commit suicide. Following this violence, most of them (53%) suffered in silence; 13% went to the police, although all of them subsequently withdrew the charges, the objective being only “to teach the husband a lesson”, not really wanting to cause him any harm. Only 6% of these women demanded a divorce. Of the remainder, 26% called their neighbors; 25% tried to leave their homes at least once; 23% got help from family members (either their own or their spouse’s), while 15% responded to the violence. The fact that 87% of these women did not mention the violence to the police is due to embarrassment (65%), for the children’s sake (32%), fears for their husband (19%), fear of their husband (13%), and fear of their own families (7%). Four percent felt that it was a waste of time, while 11% cited other reasons. ( Marlyn Tadros, Rightless Women, Heartless Men. Egyptian Women and Domestic Violence, The Legal Research and Resource Center for Human Rights, Cairo, 1998 , p. 46 , pp. 51-6 , pp. 62-71.)

· A study conducted by the New Women Research Centre and El-Nadim Centre has found that 93% of the women in the sample considered intercourse under such conditions as rape. However, 46% of the men in the sample said that they were entitled to force their wives to have intercourse. ( El-Nadim Center and New Women Research Centre, 1994, quoted in Nemat Guenena and Nadia Wassef, see note6, p. 37.)

· A study conducted by the Minister of Health of Upper Egypt revealed that 44% of rural women married between 1989 and 1993 were under 16 years old at the time of their marriage. Traditional, religious and economic motives dictate such marriages. Through the practice of the mahr or bride price, some families see early marriages as a means of improving their financial situation. ( Laila Shukry Al-Hamamsy, Early Marriage and Reproduction in Two Egyptian Villages,Paper for the Population Council/UNFPA, Cairo, 1994.)

Cases

· Fathiyah was murdered by her brother, Khayri Muhammad, for not consenting to an abortion in order to “avoid bringing shame on her family and husband” who was working outside the country. In the presence of her four children, he locked Fathiyah in her bathroom, proceeded to pour a can of gasoline under the door and set it alight. He wanted to make sure she would be “completely charred”. Khayri Muhammad was only sentenced to three years hard labor, because the Court established through a pathologist that Fathiyah was in fact pregnant at the time of her death.( Three Years at Hard Labor for Man Who Murdered His Sister in Al-Gharbiyah, Al-Ahrar,December 16, 1998. (This material was provided by Mrs. Nevine Ebaid, International Relation Coordinator for Center for Egyptian Women Legal Assistance (CEWLA), translated from the original Arabic text on file in the Georgetown Women’s Human Rights Center), quoted in a paper written by Marji Kirkwood on honor killings in Egypt, 1999.)

· Thurayya Abd-al-Hamid, a 37 year-old housewife, drowned in a pool of her own blood after her throat was slit by her brother, a government official. She was stabbed 160 times all over her body. Thurayya was murdered because of a rumor that she was going out with her brother in-law while her husband was out of the country. (Abd-al-Ilah Muhammad, Official Slaughters Sister and Rips Apart Her Body Because of a“Rumor", Al-Ahrar, December 16, 1998. (This material was provided CEWLA, translated from the original Arabic text on file in the Georgetown Women’s Human Rights Center) )

· A pregnant woman in the Muharram Bey quarter of Alexandria was electrocuted to death by her mother for not disclosing the identity of the man who had impregnated her. The mother then filed a report stating that her daughter died of natural causes. After signs of torture were discovered, the mother said that this was done to protect the family honor. ( Center for Egyptian Women’s Issues, Violence and Honor Crimes, 1998 )

· A 23-year old woman was assaulted and killed with an axe by her brother for her alleged “misconduct”. He had “doubts about her behavior”. (Brother Murders Sister with an Axe Because of Her Misconduct, Al-Ahrar, November 6, 1998. (This material was provided by CEWLA, translated from the original Arabic text on file in the Georgetown Women’s Human Rights Center)

· A man slit his daughter’s throat in order to “cleanse” his honor. He carried her dead body through the streets and repeated, “I have been cleansed of my shame”. (Muhammad Sa’id, Al Wafd, Crimes of Shame in Defense of Honor, October 24, 1998, pp. 38-39.)

· In September 1998, a girl was murdered by her brother because of a rumor. Her body was displayed for all to see. ( Center for Egyptian Women’s Issues, Violence and Honor Crimes, 1998)

What helps people to make violence against women?

· No respect for the Female gender.

· Looking down at the Women.

· Mutilating the picture of Women in the media.

· The idea that the Women are existed for Men's pleasure.

· The absence of gender equality.

· Lack of self confidence.

· Not having the courage to say stop, no, and to defend one-self and others.

· Selfishness and ignoring others feelings.

· Male-dominated communities like ours.

How to stop violence against women from their (women) side?

· To say No clearly by telling the person that his behavior offends you that he is wrong. Firmly refuse all invitations. If the person doesn’t end promptly, write a letter asking the person to stop and keep a copy (colleague case).

· Write down what happened As soon as you experience any kind of violence, start writing it down. Write down dates, places, times, and possible witnesses to what happened. If possible, ask other's advice where and how to complain.

· To have the courage to defend herself.

· Never give the chance to the man to think that he will get away with his crime.

· Not to feel shy or offended to talk about it and to warn other women that this might happen to them.

How to stop violence against women from the doer side?

· To have respect for the Female gender.

· Not to look down at the Women.

· Stop mutilating the picture of Women in the media.

· The idea that the Women is existed for Men's pleasure is totally wrong idea and they're both equal.

· Having self-confidence.

· Putting an end to selfishness and ignoring others feelings.

· Rebuilding the community to become a community with no gender-based domination.

What are the recommendations that should be there for combating violence against women in Egypt? (by the Egyptian center for Women's rights )

· To make funds for organizations that fights this crime.

· To talk freely about these kind of issues because they're there for real.

· Discrimination against women in any law should be removed, since this contributes to the occurrence of violence against women.

· Procedures and laws protecting women should be encouraged and loopholes allowing violence and escape from punishment should be closed.

· Protection of victims of rape and punishment of rapists should be encouraged.

· A unified strategy to confront social, organizational and individual violence should be employed.

· All laws preventing freedom, such as the emergency law, should be eliminated.

· Women human rights should be discussed in international organizations, especially research and media organizations, in order to find culturally appropriate solutions to ending violence.

· The contact information of organizations working on human rights should be published and their goals explained and made available to all women.

· NGOs should cooperate with journalists to address issues of violence and mobilize public opinion.

· Fighting all forms of discrimination against women is the only way to stop violence.

· Civil society and all NGOs, especially women’s organizations, must make a concerted effort to confront all forms of violence against women, especially organizational violence perpetrated by authorities who are supposed to protect the safety of citizens.