Women talk about their experiences of sexual harassment inside religious places with #MosqueMeToo:
Women are finally coming out with their sexual harassment incidents all thanks to the “MeToo” movement. This time its several women in Islam who have spoken up about sexual experiences at Hajj. A woman named Sabica Khan took to Facebook to share her #MeToo moment at Hajj, and found out that she wasn’t alone.
I was afraid to share this because it might hurt your religious sentiments*.
While performing my tawaaf around the Kaaba after isha prayer, something really weird happened. It was my 3rd tawaf, and I felt a hand on my waist. I thought it was just an innocent mistake. I completely ignored. Then… I felt it again. It made me feel very uncomfortable. I kept moving. During my 6th tawaf I suddenly felt something aggressively poking my butt, I froze, unsure of whether it was intentional. I ignored and just kept moving slowly because the crowd was huge. I even tried to turn around but woefully couldn’t. When I reached the Yemeni corner, someone tried to grab and pinch my butt. I decided to stop there. Grabbed his hand and threw it off me *couldn’t move or turn around* I was literally petrified. Couldn’t even escape, so I stood, and turned around as much as I could, to see what’s happening, I turned around but… couldn’t see who it was.
I felt so violated. I felt unable to speak out. Stayed quiet because I knew no one would trust me, or nobody would take it seriously, except my mum. So I told her everything when I returned to the hotel room. She was incredibly confused and devastated. After this incident, she never allowed me to go there again alone.
It’s sad to say that you are not even safe at holy places. I’ve been harassed, not once, not twice, but thrice. My entire experience at the holy city is overshadowed by this horrible incident.
I believe it’s totally okay and important to be open about harassment.
Don’t know how many of you had a similar experience there but this incident has unfortunately left me feeling upset.
Within few hours of the post, people from around the world started using the same hashtag to share similar experiences.
A few years ago, I began sharing that I was sexually assaulted during Haj. I wrote about it in my book in 2015. It is hard to talk about assault in sacred spaces.I hope all of us who are speaking can be of help to those who for whatever reason can’t speak right now. #MosqueMeToo https://t.co/uDsZFDolgX
— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) February 8, 2018
I read about #MosqueMeToo. It brought me to horrible memories during Hajj 2010. People think Mecca is the holiest place for Moslems so nobody would not do something bad. Totally wrong.
— Anggi Lagorio (@AnggiAngguni) February 6, 2018
I was 10 years old and I thought my sister was gripping my hips as not to lose me in the huge crowd after Jumaa prayer. But my sister was next to me and those turned out to not be my sister’s hands.
He didn’t move until she elbowed him away.
— K R (@NewtmasGrape) February 9, 2018
When the hashtag became trending, Eltahawy tweeted “Things you will be told when you say you’ve been sexually assaulted”.
I am collecting all these responses.
1. You’re too ugly to be assaulted
2. You’re being paid to say this
3. You just want to be famous
4. You just want attention
5. You want to destroy Islam
6. You want to make Muslim men look bad
7. You’re a whore
etc etc etc https://t.co/H9YZ7hYB1q— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) February 8, 2018
Another victim said women are the sole victims but young boys are also assualted:
This applies to young boys as well who were/are sexually assaulted behind or inside the mosques.
— Shaima Sherif (@ShaimaSherif2) February 6, 2018
More and more women are coming forward to share details of their horrifying experiences.
