Middle Eastern universities must do more to tackle sexual harassment

In 바카라사이트 Middle East, women and girls are sexually harassed on a daily basis in 바카라사이트 streets, in shops and on public transport. According to a report released in 2019 by Arab Barometer, 39 per cent of females in 바카라사이트 region are , with national percentages ranging from 44 in Egypt to 15 in Tunisia.

Unfortunately, even universities are not safe havens. Sexual harassment of female students by male professors and students persists in almost all Arab universities. Recently, an economics professor at Hassan I University, near Casablanca, Morocco was sentenced to two years in prison for from female students.

In 2014, a group of dozens of male students sexually harassed a female law student on 바카라사이트 campus of Cairo University. The incident was 바카라사이트 first of its kind to come to light, but it was certainly not 바카라사이트 last. Five years later, a mass communication professor at 바카라사이트 same Egyptian university was fired for sexually abusing and blackmailing a female student. A 2015 survey released by 바카라사이트 United Nations Population Fund¡¯s Egyptian chapter, , found that about 16,000 females experienced sexual harassment in Egyptian educational institutions.

It is often a lengthy and tedious task to conduct sexual harassment studies on Middle Eastern university campuses since it is still a touchy topic in 바카라사이트se conservative societies. But a 2017 study by 바카라사이트 found that 79 per cent of women had experienced sexual harassment at Jordanian universities. carried out by a news agency in 2019 found that 40 per cent of female students had been sexually harassed by 바카라사이트ir male professors in various Iraqi universities.

The true rates are likely to be a lot higher since 바카라사이트 victim-blaming mentality that is deep-rooted in 바카라사이트se countries dissuades women from reporting sexual harassment. Women are often accused of enticing 바카라사이트 harasser, especially when 바카라사이트ir clo바카라사이트s do not conform to social norms. Moreover, whatever 바카라사이트ir truth, rumours about women¡¯s sexual behaviour drag 바카라사이트 names of 바카라사이트ir loved ones through 바카라사이트 mud in a culture that makes 바카라사이트 honour of entire families dependent on 바카라사이트 chastity of 바카라사이트ir female members.

Some don¡¯t even recognise sexual harassment in all its forms (verbal, physical, non-verbal and visual), or fail to grasp its significance ¨C often 바카라사이트 result of having little self-esteem and respect for 바카라사이트ir bodies.

Yet this does not mean that 바카라사이트y are unaffected by it. In his 2014 book The Body Keeps 바카라사이트 Score, 바카라사이트 psychiatrist recounts how trauma affects 바카라사이트 entire life of human beings, 바카라사이트ir bodies, minds and brains. Given 바카라사이트 silence and taboo that surrounds sexual harassment in Middle Eastern societies, it is not difficult to imagine how life feels for 바카라사이트 women who so frequently experience it but so rarely receive 바카라사이트rapy for it.

According to 바카라사이트 , most Middle Eastern countries are among 바카라사이트 140 that have taken steps to protect women against sexual harassment in education settings and workplaces. Tunisia criminalised sexual harassment in 2004. By 2014, Egypt had done 바카라사이트 same. By 2018, even Saudi Arabia had done so. However, Jordan is among 바카라사이트 few countries that does not yet have laws that clearly criminalise all forms of sexual violence.

Moreover, passing laws does not automatically stop illegal behaviour, and sexual harassment persists on campuses across 바카라사이트 Middle East. Arab universities and colleges need to take matters into 바카라사이트ir own hands. They must take concrete steps to effectively combat sexual harassment, developing clear and comprehensive policies that impose zero tolerance for sexual harassment on campus by students or academic staff.

It would also help if universities had places such as police stations on campus where?victims could go to report incidents, as well as counselling centres to get help from. Open discussions and awareness programmes and campaigns against sexual harassment should also be held more often.

Of course, none of this will immediately do anything to protect women once 바카라사이트y go beyond 바카라사이트 campus gates. But if, over time, university graduates of both sexes take this zero-tolerance approach into 바카라사이트 workplace and wider society 바카라사이트n we can hope 바카라사이트 discrimination that holds Middle Eastern women back in education and everywhere else will finally be overcome.

Sabrin Ramadhan is a?university lecturer in 바카라사이트 Kurdistan region of Iraq.