#Egypt on Saturday began the trial of a former student of an elite university on charges of sexual assault of three minors, in a case that has launched a new wave of the #MeToo movement in the Arab world’s most populous country. google.com/amp/s/abcnews.…
The former student at the American University in Cairo was arrested in July after the allegations against him went viral, resulting in a firestorm on social media.
The trial opened amid tight security at a criminal court. The suspect could face up to life in prison if convicted.
The trial opened amid tight security at a criminal court. The suspect could face up to life in prison if convicted.
The former student faces charges of blackmailing & sexually harassing the women, who were minors at the time of the crimes.According to accusations posted on social media, he would mine the pool of mutual friends on Facebook,online groups/school clubs,to target for sexual assault
He would start with flattery, then pressure the women and girls to share intimate photos that he later used to blackmail them with to have sex with him, according to these accusations. If they did not, he would threaten to send the pictures to their family. #Egypt
His case, activists say, shows that misogyny cuts across the country’s stark class lines. Many in #Egypt have previously portrayed sexual harassment as a problem of poor urban youth.
“Sexual assault and harassment are deep-seated problems in #Egypt, where victims must also fight the undercurrent of a conservative culture that typically ties female chastity to a family’s reputation. In courts, the burden of proof lies heavily on the victims of such crimes.”
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