General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsEgypt: Epidemic of Sexual Violence
Egyptian officials and political leaders across the spectrum should condemn and take immediate steps to address the horrific levels of sexual violence against women in Tahrir Square. Egyptian anti-sexual harassment groups confirmed that mobs sexually assaulted and in some cases raped at least 91 women in Tahrir Square, over four days of protests beginning on June 30, 2013, amid a climate of impunity.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/07/03/egypt-epidemic-sexual-violence
ucrdem
(15,512 posts)from an Al Jazeera English reporter on Pacifica. One thing he said struck me, namely that last time this happened was right after Mubarak stepped down. He said it was like switch had been thrown and suddenly the crowd turned ugly.
This makes me wonder if these "spontaneous" Tahrir crowds, which no one ever can quite account for in any rational way save "social media," aren't largely composed of hired mercenaries who, as soon as the job is over, collect a little loot from the battlefield, so to speak. There's a long history of such types being used to swell crowds by coup engineers, typically being US or UK intel outfits.
WCLinolVir
(951 posts)in such a dismissive, reductive term.
ucrdem
(15,512 posts)Looting and rapine are not unrelated activities, and in fact rapere, the Latin verb that English "rape" descends from, means "to seize," and was used to signify both activities.
However, if you can suggest a suitable alternative, I'll be happy to replace it.
WCLinolVir
(951 posts)So stop using language as an excuse for YES, dismissive, reductive statements that refer to womens bodies as loot. It is called objectification. It is dehumanizing. Serial rapists rarely steal goods. Robbers don't usually rape. Please evolve. I really don't care about the Latin root, as language evolves as well.
Join the movement.
ucrdem
(15,512 posts)and have for some time. My point is that the assaults and rapes that have occurred over the last two years at Tahrir square, which are extremely unfortunate, point to the use of mercenaries.
ananda
(28,866 posts)But it makes some sense.
Mercenaries and plants might well be inclined to rape, and not just only
for their own powertrip pleasure. It could also be a way to demonize
and undermine the movement towards freedom.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)L0oniX
(31,493 posts)L0oniX
(31,493 posts)"There's a long history of such types being used to swell crowds by coup engineers, typically being US or UK intel outfits."
DURHAM D
(32,610 posts)was actually the US and UK military? Don't you think someone would have noticed and reported on all those buses arriving in the country. silly
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)It'd be naive to believe the US would never interfere there or anywhere else. You must be seeing shit if you think I was saying the US sent buses to Egypt.
DURHAM D
(32,610 posts)referencing the nonsense in post one.
jftr - No liberal, progressive or regular Democrat would ever make a joke about rape on Democratic Underground as you did in your first post in this thread.
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)leftstreet
(36,108 posts)To me it was a sardonic observation about US military rape culture
But maybe I'm wrong
WCLinolVir
(951 posts)is alive and well there.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)I understand your reaction - but I do think it's better to get it out in the open. Hopefully some action will be taken. I know there are groups now that have served as bodyguards at these protests to help protect against such attacks.