Sexual Harassment in the Egyptian Streets: Feminist Theory Revisited

Abstract

This study examined the act of sexual harassment, as perceived by Egyptian male harassers. Participants’ justifications of their harassing acts were explained using feminist theory, which postulated that sexual harassment occurs due to men’s tendency to blame women for this act, their failure to empathize with its victims, and their attempt to punish their competitive efforts. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine self-professed harassers. Thematic analysis of these interviews produced theory-driven themes that reflected the above mentioned assertions of feminist theory. Moreover, thematic analysis added cultural depth to this theory’s explanation of sexual harassment by producing emerging themes that highlighted the roles of participants’ strict interpretations of religious texts and experiences of societal oppression in justifying this act. Recommendations for mental health professionals and policy makers who design intervention and prevention programs for sexual harassment will be presented.