ABSTRACT

Activism against sexual violence was one of the Egyptian Revolution’s most significant mobilising forces, but the country’s return to authoritarian rule has circumvented possibilities for organising and carrying out political resistance, including activism against sexual harassment. This article shows that despite this political oppression, young feminists continue to raise their voices and organise against the continuing problem of sexual violence. To illustrate this, the article draws on interviews considering a recent controversy surrounding allegations of sexual violence within the Egyptian political party Bread and Freedom. Interviewees describe that instead of receiving support in their criticism of the party’s handling of the accusations, they were criticised by feminist and human rights activists, creating serious fragmentation among earlier united activists. The analysis shows that when young feminists saw former allies abandon the movement’s previously formulated objectives against sexual violence, their collective memory of past achievements bolstered their conviction that they should compromise neither on the definition of sexual violence nor on the ways to confront it. In fact, their careful adherence to the activism’s past principles and efforts serves as a mechanism for sustaining continuity in their feminist movement even as the political climate circumscribes opportunities for activism.

摘要

反对性暴力的激进主义是埃及革命最重要的动员力量之一，但该国回归专制统治已经避免了组织和开展政治抵抗的可能性，包括反对性骚扰的激进主义。这篇文章表明，尽管存在这种政治压迫，年轻的女权主义者继续发声并组织起来反对持续存在的性暴力问题。为了说明这一点，这篇文章借鉴了采访，考虑到最近围绕埃及政党面包与自由内部性暴力指控的争议。受访者描述说，他们批评党处理指控的方式没有得到支持，反而受到女权主义者和人权活动家的批评，在早期的联合活动家之间造成严重的分裂。分析表明，当年轻的女权主义者看到前盟友放弃该运动先前制定的反对性暴力的目标时，她们对过去成就的集体记忆增强了她们的信念，即她们不应在性暴力的定义和应对性暴力的方式上妥协。事实上，即使政治气候限制了激进主义的机会，她们对激进主义过去的原则和努力的认真遵守也是维持女权运动连续性的一种机制。他们对过去成就的集体记忆增强了他们的信念，即他们不应在性暴力的定义或应对方式上妥协。事实上，即使政治气候限制了激进主义的机会，她们对激进主义过去的原则和努力的认真遵守也是维持女权运动连续性的一种机制。他们对过去成就的集体记忆增强了他们的信念，即他们不应在性暴力的定义或应对方式上妥协。事实上，即使政治气候限制了激进主义的机会，她们对激进主义过去的原则和努力的认真遵守也是维持女权运动连续性的一种机制。