Sexual Harassment Online
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A collection of screenshots from girls online showcasing examples of the harassment they get on a daily basis
I felt disgusted to my bones and violated. I wish I could reach out through the screen to slap him, that’s how angry I felt. Funny thing is when you check the harasser’s profile, it’s full of religious posts! -Fatma, 21
I nearly barfed. I felt very uncomfortable being approached in such a way when I hadn’t consented to it. It felt like my freedom to be a person online was violated because I was approached in a way that I did not give permission for. I understand that different people have different sexual preferences but Facebook messenger is not an online platform for this form of communication. There are other forms like BDSM dating forums where approaching people with your preference and fetish is okay but this wasn’t it. Even on a forum that would allow approaching someone with your sexual preferences the way he communicated would still be inappropriate. - Habiba Hamdy, 19
I got used to it. I can even take you on a tour in my direct messages. I get a little scared sometimes but other times I just feel like ‘wow dude..’ I laugh most of the time, but some messages freak me out. This one seriously freaked me out. -Zahra, 22
I didn’t know these messages even existed. I felt like there was this other world that existed that is fueled by disgust, greed, and violation. What infuriated me the most was the fact that this person existed behind a screen, behind digital clues and figurations, and could have so much power over me. -Anon
“It honestly agitates me to even think about harassment for two reasons. One, people make a hero out of anyone who doesn’t harass women and pretty much worship anyone who stands up against it. We shouldn’t praise people for doing the absolute bare minimum of being a decent person by applauding them. Two, every time I or anyone I know was exposed to harassment we’ve been the ones to blame. It’s either we’re exaggerating or worse we were asking for it. Being a social person, I get a lot of guys coming up to me asking me out and even being bluntly sexual and when I shut them down their response is always something along the lines, oh I thought you wanted this, you were laughing at all my jokes and called me nice. Or the latter which is more often “Hey don’t get conceited bitch you are ugly w shayfa nafsk 3al fadi” I even had a guy spread rumors about me around the entire campus because I went out with him once and simply didn’t want to do it again. so yea it sucks being a girl. -Aya,23
He was talking about my friend. I was very disgusted. It felt like he saw us as cheap beings. Who says this to someone they don’t know? So yeah, I felt really disgusted and my friend was super uncomfortable when I showed her, especially that he goes to uni with us. -Jomana, 20
I got used to it. I can even take you on a tour in my direct messages. I get a little scared sometimes but other times I just feel like ‘wow dude..’ I laugh most of the time, but some messages freak me out. This one seriously freaked me out. -Zahra, 22
I got this on my business page. It made me feel like I have no value beyond what I contribute to cooking. Like he assumes my husband, if I had one, was lucky because I can cook. It’s inappropriate. -Yomna, 20
It was so easy for me to laugh it off. I kept telling myself, this person exists behind a screen, this person is behind a screen, he can’t get to me. I was lying to myself. This person -these people - exist in my everyday life, and there’s almost no way out. -Farah Rafik, 22
I nearly barfed. I felt very uncomfortable being approached in such a way when I hadn’t consented to it. It felt like my freedom to be a person online was violated because I was approached in a way that I did not give permission for. I understand that different people have different sexual preferences but Facebook messenger is not an online platform for this form of communication. There are other forms like BDSM dating forums where approaching people with your preference and fetish is okay but this wasn’t it. Even on a forum that would allow approaching someone with your sexual preferences the way he communicated would still be inappropriate. - Habiba Hamdy, 22
I laughed them off at first. But then, they got out of hand. Every time I would tweet anything, I say to myself ‘those guys on twitter are ready to sexualize everything I say’ and it does happen. It honestly got to me to the extent that I deactivated my account for a while - I could no longer deal with the harassment, with the unconsented sexualization, with being objectified. The day I decided to reactivate my twitter was the day I decided that these guys were just cowards behind a screen - how I chose to let them affect me was my decision. Some days I overcome the requests, other days are just filled with horrid disappointment in the society we live in. -Salma, 21
I had a hard time going back. I felt like I was violated and watched. How can someone even feel like it is okay to just blatantly do this to someone else? Does he think this is him being a nice guy? Enough with the nice-guy syndrome, its false! -Habiba, 18
I laughed them off at first. But then, they got out of hand. Every time I would tweet anything, I say to myself ‘those guys on twitter are ready to sexualize everything I say’ and it does happen. It honestly got to me to the extent that I deactivated my account for a while - I could no longer deal with the harassment, with the unconsented sexualization, with being objectified. The day I decided to reactivate my twitter was the day I decided that these guys were just cowards behind a screen - how I chose to let them affect me was my decision. Some days I overcome the requests, other days are just filled with horrid disappointment in the society we live in. -Salma, 21
I didn’t know these messages even existed. I felt like there was this other world that existed that is fueled by disgust, greed, and violation. What infuriated me the most was the fact that this person existed behind a screen, behind digital clues and figurations, and could have so much power over me - Habiba Omar, 21
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