Closets Full of Dreams: Inside Egypt’s Sexual-Harassment Crisis

5 minute read

To be a woman in Egypt is to live with the crushing inevitability of sexual harassment. The magnitude of the problem is epidemic, with 99.3% of Egyptian women having been sexually harassed, according to a 2013 U.N. Women report. It’s a society in which, for half the population, just leaving home can be a daily nightmare.

Cairo-based photojournalist Roger Anis decided to confront the issue by making portraits of women next to the clothes they would wear on the streets, if only they felt safe enough. “I’m not facing harassment myself as a man,” he says, “but when your dear friends are facing it, your girlfriend is facing it, or your mother or sister is facing it, you feel so helpless.”

His diptychs pair horrifying stories of harassment and assault with the dream of basic rights for women, reaching beyond sexism to address intersectional themes of racism, ageism, body image, religious tradition, and even the repression of political dissent. Although these issues aren’t exclusive to women, says Anis, women are more likely to be targeted for other forms of discrimination because of their gender.

One of his subjects said she was spat on for wearing colors under her niqab. Another said she was brutally assaulted by a mob in Tahrir Square in 2012. Still others were made to feel unsafe or ashamed in the clothes that they chose or the skin color, age, or weight that they didn’t. “It’s not just about clothing. It’s the idea that there is no freedom for women in general,” says Anis.

Though the causes of sexual harassment are rooted in systemic gender inequity, and not a woman’s behavior or clothing choices, women often feel desperate to protect themselves from the aggressions of men. It’s a matter of doing whatever they can to feel safer, Anis says, though in practice it doesn’t really help. “For me, clothes have nothing to do with harassment,” says Aleya Adel, who appears in one of Anis’ photos. “You will be harassed no matter what you are wearing.”

What drives men to commit the harassment, says Anis, is a combination of factors including political turmoil, poverty, a low standard of education, and religious restrictions. “There will always be people who consider the harasser as a victim of society,” he says. “Egypt is so conservative. It’s not easy for a man and woman to be friends.” But that, he adds, does not absolve men of the responsibility to control themselves and respect women.

Eman Helal, another of Anis’ subjects and a photojournalist in her own right, has done powerful work on sexual harassment in the past. “My work focuses more on the dangers of sexual harassment and how it can end women’s lives,” she says. “Roger’s project shows the oppression Egyptian women face, and how men can interfere with every single detail of women’s personal lives, down to their clothes.”

A documentary by Tinne van Loon and Colette Ghunim called The People’s Girls is also currently in production. But in-depth projects made by women on sexual harassment in Egypt remain scarce. For many female journalists and photographers, the topic simply hits too close to home.

“Some of my male colleagues blame me for caring so much about this subject, as if it’s not normal to pay attention to it,” says Helal. “They assume my interest comes from being a woman who has been harassed. Yes, of course it’s one reason. It’s our right to walk without fear. But they actually don’t think that what happens to us is sexual harassment at all.”

Anis’ work is not only a man’s recognition of the threats women endure, the higher standards to which they are held, and the simple freedoms they are denied, but also a starting point for men in Egypt—and beyond—to see women through a lens of empathy and respect. Karoline Kamel, Anis’ girlfriend, believes the work is especially powerful because it comes from a male perspective and can set an example.

“In a lot of cases, the burden is on women to defend their own rights, and they are accused of being extreme,” she says. “It is more objective to discuss and present the subject from a man who supports women’s rights.”

Kamel, who appears in the project herself, was crucial in helping Anis find other women willing to open up to a male photographer. Many refused to participate, afraid of having their identities publicized. “We are in a society where it’s not appropriate to talk about out dreams and needs in public,” says Kamel. Those who came forward, she adds, were desperate for society to take notice of their suffering, or hoped the project would embolden other women to speak out.

For Anis, Kamel, and Helal, the fight for women’s rights in Egypt continues to be long and hard. But their closets full of dreams have been opened. “I hope that [Anis’] work can help free women from their fears so they can speak about their problems,” says Helal, “but also convince men not to look at us as just bodies, and treat us like we have minds.”

Roger Anis is a photographer based in Cairo, Egypt.

Jen Tse is a photo editor and contributor to TIME LightBox. Follow her on Twitter @jentse and Instagram.

roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
A woman's closet in Cairo, Egypt, 2015.Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Karoline Kamel, 29. "I changed the way I wear clothes just to walk on the streets. I started to wear loose-fitting clothes so that I could feel comfortable and secure, and I convinced myself that I love this style even if I’m not a big fan of it. Recently, I started to ride a bicycle in Cairo. It's horrible and hard to move with a bike here, whether because of the traffic, the harassment, or the looks. Despite all these hardships, I still insist on riding my bike. To do this, of course, I have to wear loose-fitting clothes, but I still dream of wearing whatever I want, like shorts and a nice shirt."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Eman Helal, 30. "I'm waiting for the wedding of any of my friends to wear a dress and be like a real girl, but of course I can’t go out alone wearing it. Someone has to be with me, preferably a male friend or relative." The room of broken chairs, explains Helal, is located in the building of the newspaper she works for, and was a deliberate choice she made for Anis' project. "For me, this location represents the chaotic situation we are living and working in."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Eglal Mahmoud Raafat, 74. "The society isn't going forward, but backward. In the old days everyone did and wore what they wanted, but now nobody respects or accepts our differences. I work as a professor at Cairo University but it’s so different to see the university now, compared with how it was 40 years ago. Every girl used to wear whatever she wanted and there was freedom and respect for women. Now all the girls wear headscarves, which surprises me a lot because being free in what you wear comes with the freedom of thinking and knowledge. Maybe you don't feel how bad the situation is for girls and the society now, but I do feel and see it very well because I witnessed a time when things were so much better. I have a black dress that I want to wear, but I'd have to cover my arms. I am sure I will find a way to wear it. Not only have I not been wearing it because I feel ashamed to wear it in this society nowadays, but also because I’m getting old and my body is not in best shape."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Aleya Adel, 20. "I love colors and wearing a niqab doesn’t mean you only wear black or dark colors. I wear anything as long as it’s loose-fitting and I’m covering my face. Once I wore this dress with butterflies on it, and a man on his bicycle stopped to ask, 'Is it really Islamic to wear colors under your niqab?' Then he spat at me and went away. For me, clothes have nothing to do with harassment. You will be harassed no matter what you are wearing."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Azza Fadaly, 43. "I was sexually assaulted by a group of men in Tahrir Square on the day when former president Mohammed Morsi took office in 2012. The square was full of people celebrating and I was going there to do my job as a photojournalist reporting from the scene. I was with a male friend, but it didn’t prevent them from harassing me. I was rescued before being raped, but I still remember every hand touching my body. It wasn’t the first time I got harassed. I remember being harassed by a family member when I was just 5 years old. All these memories inside my head are affecting the way I’m choosing what to wear and the way I’m behaving while walking down the streets. This is why I become very aggressive in the street if anyone gets close to me. Also, I do not feel comfortable in my clothes even when I’m going to wedding parties or celebrations. I became more embarrassed of my body; I lost my relationship with my body. What happened to me in Tahrir Square made me collect all the dresses and clothes I had and store them in two bags. Now, I try to just wear normal clothes that help me avoid the looks of people in the street."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Hana Elrakhawy, 22. "I shaved my head some time ago and it was very hard to walk in the street due to all the harassment, but I didn’t care. The most common thing I used to hear was, “Hey, boyish girl!” I don't care anymore. Since I was young, I always loved to wear the folkloric Egyptian clothes and walk around in the streets, and I didn’t really care about what people thought. The only thing that I always loved to wear—but I can’t really do it freely nowadays—are the t-shirts with the revolutionary signs on them, because now you can get arrested immediately if you wear any of these on the street."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Fatima Ali, 25. "Going out of my house is such an adventure that I go through every day, and I’m ready for it. There is not a single time that I go out in the street without being harassed, but it has never stopped me from wearing what I like. I believe I’m different and I know that people see me as different, and I’m working on letting them respect that I’m different. I was harassed a lot because of my skin color. I always hear sexual suggestions because I’m black. One of the things that really annoyed me was when someone spat on me in the street because of my skin color."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Maha Monieb, 27. "I always hear a lot of silly comments about my body in the street because I’m fat. I started to go on a diet and do some sports, not just because the society refuses my body but also for myself. One of my dreams is to be able to walk around the streets wearing nice dresses, but I can't do this when I weigh this much. I used to cover my hair, but I'm getting rid of my headscarf. Gradually, of course, because I can’t just do it. I have to convince my parents and family first. When I look in the closet of one of my dear friends, I find the dresses I dream to wear when I’m in better shape. I am really looking forward for this moment to come."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Mai Hussien Badr, 22. "People in Egypt don’t love colors, although they are full of energy. I love to mix colors and I will not stop wearing them just because people hate it. Why should I? I wear the headscarf but, nevertheless, I hear a lot of comments because I tie my headscarf in a different way over my hair. I started to be less convinced about the hijab. So, I decided to research why it's an obligation in Islam. I didn’t find any good reason to wear it, but at the same time I didn't feel like taking it off. This is why I started to wear it a different way and chose shiny, bright colors. For me, it changed from a religious tradition to a lifestyle. I always choose loose-fitting clothes because they are more comfortable and lead to less harassment in the street. However, I continue to hear annoying comments. I have some nice dresses but mostly the only chance to wear them outside Cairo is at the beaches."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Shery Morkos, 33. "Since I started university, my main dream has been to become a bride, then a mother with kids. I used to buy a lot of lingerie, bridal accessories and clothes. My mother also used to buy me a lot of lingerie and store it for when I got married, just like a lot of mothers do for their daughters here in Egypt. I am not allowed to wear any of these things, although they would be really nice house clothes. My mother said she'd be so angry at me if I wore them at all, because they're saved for after I get married. I’m now 33 and single but I wish to wear any of these clothes that have been left for so many years unused in the closet. What if I don't get married? Will they be in storage forever?"Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Heba Elkholy, 26. "One of my dreams is to wear a dress and big earrings. If only I could for few minutes and walk around the street, I would be happy that my dream came true and be satisfied to get back to the normal clothes I normally wear. Unfortunately, all the clothes that are available for the veiled girls in the shops are ugly. They make it seem like to wear a hijab, you have to be untidy and hideous."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Hala Nammr, 54. "Once, I bought a very nice dress that I really liked. After I bought it and tried it at home again, I immediately took it off and gave it to my daughter because I realized that I would not be able to wear it in Cairo. The dress was backless and I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it, unless I was in a country other than Egypt. In a different place, I would wear it without hesitation."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Tinne Van Loon, 27. "I’m a Belgian-American living in Egypt for two years now. Last year, I went out wearing a dress. Although I know how hard it is to move freely in Cairo wearing a dress, I decided to do it anyway, and I thought it would be fine because I was in an elite neighborhood where a lot of foreigners live. I was heading back home and saw an old man masturbating while checking me out, walking towards me in the street. Since then, I never wore it again. In fact, I’ve never worn any of the dresses I brought with me to Egypt."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
Amria Mortada, 33. "I’m a tomboy. I feel it suits me better. I don’t have any dresses, but every now and then I dream of wearing one and I end up being afraid because I fear the streets. So, I decided not to buy any. I bought a pair of pants, which seemed very normal to me, but I was surprised when I got harassed verbally while wearing them. I never understood why this happened, but I was annoyed and even shocked to know that it happened because of the color of my pants. In the street, a girl becomes like merchandise. People are allowed to look at her as if she is displayed in a shop. Honestly, I’m still traumatized from what happened to me while wearing these pants and I've decided to never wear them again. I don’t have the energy to stand against those who harass me."Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
An Egyptian woman looks at the display of a clothing shop in downtown Cairo.Roger Anis
roger-anis-closets-full-of-dreams
A woman's closet in Cairo, Egypt, 2015.Roger Anis

More Must-Reads From TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com