By Salma Arafa and Farah Rafik
The ever-lasting problem of sexual harassment in Egypt recently came to light when many women filed official complaints to the Egyptian Public Prosecution with the support of the National Council of Women (NCW), against a 22-year-old male, who allegedly raped and sexually harassed more than 100 females, after taking to social media platforms to report him.
According to a 2013 study conducted by The United Nations Entity for Equality and the Empowerment of Women, 99.3 percent of the Egyptian women studied have experienced a form of sexual harassment. Unfortunately, Egyptian females do not experience sexual harassment only in public places and the streets, they can also experience it in the workplace.
In fact, according to a 2009 study conducted by The New Woman Foundation, most Egyptian women in a number of governorates, experienced sexual harassment at their workplace, whether private or governmental sectors, ranging from verbal harassment and intimidation, to physical assault.
What Is Sexual Harassment In The Workplace?
Businessman embracing a secretary at work as she is looking at his hand uncomfortably
Sexual harassment in the workplace is simply sexual harassment taking place at work while using implicit or explicit sexual overtones or inappropriate promise of rewards unreasonably related to work in exchange for sexual favors.
In other words, it is any unwelcome verbal, non-verbal, or physical actions, which implicitly or explicitly affects one’s employment, interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an offensive work environment.
The inappropriate actions can range from staring, suggestive comments, and implicit sexual requests to unwelcome touching and sexually explicit physical contact.
Signs It’s Not ‘Friendliness’ And Is Sexual Harassment
On the street, it is easier to spot a sexual harasser. It is projected through their eyes, and their verbal and body language. According to the aforementioned study published by the New Woman Foundation, it has been estimated that most Egyptian women have been subjected to sexual harassment – verbal and physical – in public and private workplaces.
In the workplace; however, there are certain lines that are often blurred at the expense of being ‘professional’. One of the most important lines is the one that distinguishes between being ‘friendly’ and harassment. In order to highlight this line, Levin & Nalbandyan, LLP outlined warning signs that are helpful for women in the workforce.
The signs include unwanted compliments and comments, flirting behaviors, and inappropriate touching. In light of the ‘MeToo’ social media campaign, the International Labor Organization (ILO) implemented in 2019 an imperative convention on sexual harassment in workplaces, in hopes that this new international standard is able to protect employees and workers.
How Can Companies Do Better When Reporting Sexual Harassment?
In order to prevent sexual harassment at work and create a safe work environment, it is indispensable to adopt a clear sexual harassment policy, set out a clear procedure for filing complaints, raise awareness among employees on the matter, monitor the workplace, and take all sexual harassment complaints seriously and professionally.
Egypt has integrated new and encompassing anti-sexual harassment laws in order to combat the presence of sexual harassment in both public and private places. If the act of sexual harassment is present at workplaces, whether, by personnel of authority or managers, the harasser can face up to a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years, and pay a fine of EGP 20,000 or more, according to Egyptian Streets.
The ILO has outlined important guidelines for the prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace which included policy statements and prevention measures such as communication, education, and training. But most importantly, it is necessary for companies and firms to implement mechanisms of response in their policies as stated by the ILO.
Innately, the policies should encompass grievance procedures, informal and formal complaints, as well as disciplinary actions. It is important for the managers and employers to make their workplace a safe environment for employees, and make it so that every employee has an obligation to report any form of sexual harassment to their supervisor, or Human Resources.
What To Do When You Are Sexually Harassed At Work?
Living in a religious society, sexual harassment in Egypt is often considered as a taboo, causing many women to fear speaking up about it. And generally, reporting sexual assault at work can seem intimidating, since many believe that it can put your work at stake. Yet, this is not accurate. In fact, last year, Egypt’s first court ruling was issued against a sexual harasser at a workplace. Moreover, you can call the National Council of Women on 15115 or text them on +20 1007525600 to report or file a complaint.
According to a paper published by the Cairo Foundation for Development and Law, women experiencing sexual harassment at work are advised to threaten the harasser of filing an official complaint to the administration, or at the police station. Moreover, it is necessary for them to take notes of all the harassing actions, since it may come in handy when filing an official complaint. The Egyptian institution advises the victims to try to get evidence, or witnesses to prove the assault when needed.
Sexual harassment is a key social issue in Egypt, and in the workplace, women can often be faced with the dilemma of staying quiet out of fear of losing their job, or speaking up. A safe space for employees is integral to a fruitful environment, and it all starts with implementing the utmost best mechanisms and policies.
