Despite Egypt’s legal framework criminalizing rape, marital rape remains a pervasive issue that is not recognized by law. According to the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey, 6 percent of married women aged 15-49 in Egypt have experienced sexual violence. This includes being physically forced to have sexual intercourse or perform a sexual act, or being threatened to perform a sexual act. Dr. Wafaa Eltantawy, a psychosexual and relationship therapist, told Egyptian Streets that “Usually, patients don’t call it marital rape because, within the Arab culture and religious context, a sexual relationship is allowed within marriage.” A Hidden Crisis The Egyptian law criminalizes rape, stating, “Whoever lies with a female without her consent shall be punished with the death penalty or life imprisonment.” However, marital rape—sexual intercourse with a spouse without their consent—is not criminalized. “There is a lot of misinformation about marital rape and consent in Egypt, especially in light of Islamic and Christian teachings, so it’s hard to find a clear representation of marital rape and definition,” Eltantawy shared with Egyptian Streets. The state religion of Egypt is Islam, and Egyptian family law mandates that wives should obey their…
The post Marital Rape in Egypt: Voices of the Silenced first appeared on Egyptian Streets.
Source: egyptianstreets
