Online Sexual Violence in Egypt
Documenting and Analyzing Incidents of Online Sexual Coercion and Extortion (2019-2022)
In the realm of digital platforms, safeguarding against the non-consensual sharing of
sensitive information, particularly intimate images, is imperative. Implementing protective mechanisms is crucial to shield individuals from potential harm. However, it is vital to
recognize that attempting to solve this problem by advising women not to share sensitive
content online reinforces patriarchal discourses and unfairly places the burden on
women. Such a narrative risks undermining women's rights to express their sexuality and
exercise freedom over their bodies. Instead of restricting these freedoms, our focus
should be on fortifying the protection of individuals, acknowledging them as equal
citizens with the right to express themselves without fear of violation, as per the Egyptian
Constitution's commitment to achieving equality between women and men in all civil,
political, economic, social, and cultural rights (Article 11) (19). Central to this discussion is
the concept of bodily integrity; we must reject the normalization of shaming women for
expressing their bodies but rather reinforce the importance of respecting and safeguarding their autonomy in the digital space.
-16-