Street Harassment in Cairo: A Symptom of Disintegrating Social Structures

The research analyzes street harassment in Cairo as a social phenomenon linked to structural and institutional changes in Egypt. It argues that the inability of men to fulfill traditional roles as economic providers, exacerbated by high unemployment and economic instability since the 1970s, leads them to symbolically reclaim their masculinity through the harassment of women in public spaces. The paper defines street harassment across three categories—gestures, verbal remarks, and physical harassment—and notes a rise in 'mob-related' incidents since 2005. It concludes that legal criminalization alone is unlikely to solve the problem without addressing the underlying socioeconomic frustrations and the crisis of masculinity.

• Street harassment in Cairo is categorized into three main types: gestures, verbal harassment, and physical harassment. According to a 2008 Egyptian Centre for Women’s Rights (ECWR) survey, gestures are the most common, with 49.8% of men admitting to winking or making evocative expressions; verbal harassment follows at 43.6%, and physical harassment is the least prevalent at 13.4%.
• The author argues that street harassment is a symbolic act used by men to reclaim a sense of masculinity and dominance in public, particularly when they are unable to achieve traditional masculine success, such as becoming the sole economic provider for a family.
• Economic shifts starting with Anwar Sadat's 'infitah' policy in 1974—which opened Egypt's economy to global markets and reduced government subsidies—contributed to a crisis of masculinity by making traditional roles as breadwinners harder to achieve.
• The phenomenon of street harassment in Cairo has evolved to include 'mob-related' incidents that 'explode at random,' with significant spikes reported during political protests in 2005 and religious celebrations such as Eid al-Fitr in 2006 and 2008, and Eid al Adha in 2009.
• The author contends that while criminalization and law enforcement are common responses, they may have minimal effect if the underlying societal causes—such as unemployment and the frustration of men unable to meet cultural ideals—are not addressed.

APA

Peoples, F. M. (n.d.). Street Harassment in Cairo: A Symptom of Disintegrating Social Structures. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/3677e063-798a-4092-b501-4ea32a2a0a6c/Street Hrassment in Cairo.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Peoples, Fatima Mareah. Street Harassment in Cairo: A Symptom of Disintegrating Social Structures. Peace Research Institute Oslo, n.d. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/3677e063-798a-4092-b501-4ea32a2a0a6c/Street Hrassment in Cairo.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Peoples |first1=Fatima Mareah |title=Street Harassment in Cairo: A Symptom of Disintegrating Social Structures |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/3677e063-798a-4092-b501-4ea32a2a0a6c/Street Hrassment in Cairo.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{peoplesndstreet, author = {Peoples, Fatima Mareah}, title = {{Street Harassment in Cairo: A Symptom of Disintegrating Social Structures}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/3677e063-798a-4092-b501-4ea32a2a0a6c/Street Hrassment in Cairo.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }