Reposting from Simply LeAnne, for all women in and around Maadi please watch out for this gang. When possible, avoid walking alone, as it is evident that daylight does not deter these men.
Ladies, please begin keeping some weapon on you at all times. Even if you don’t believe in a weapon per se for fear it might be used against you, please have some self-defense gear ready and don’t expect the men on the street to come to your defense. It isn’t that they won’t, but don’t count on it. And if you can avoid it, do not walk alone.
Watch out for a dark blue Mitsubishi with three males around the age of 25-30-years-old who are now using a stun gun to attack.
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| Photo Source: youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com |
It’s no secret that crime rate has skyrocketed in Egypt post-revolution, but the petty thefts that were occurring seem to have taken a new, dangerous tone.
In the Maadi area around Sakanat, Mustafa Kamel and Road 13 there are three stories that are similar and confirmed, but last night a new twist was added.
There is a car with men patrolling this area looking for easy targets: women. The other day, a woman was standing near her friend’s home with her purse strapped across her shoulders when a car pulled up pretending to park. All of the sudden, the guys jumped out and pushed the female to the ground and attempted to take her purse. A group of drivers were nearby and came to the woman’s aid and the culprits immediately jumped in the car, unsuccessful in their attempt, and drove away. Escalation #1: The thugs saw the other men standing nearby and were not deterred.
It gets worse. Last night (November 15) a car with the same MO (although it could be a group of people committing the same actions with various cars) was scouting the same area. The car is a dark blue Mitsubishi with three males around the ages of 25-30 years old. The attack happened at 11 am, but the daylight bit with all the people on the street isn’t even the worst part. The worst part is that now a stun gun is being used. The female was attacked by a stun gun while the men attempted to get her in the car. Unsuccessful, they tried for her purse and ended up dragging her from Road 13 to Mustafa Kamel street. They did get her purse and she is currently in the hospital. My thoughts and prayers go out to her.
Another similar, but unsuccessful attempt was made on another woman in the same area.
The problem is that despite onlookers being present, the thugs seem to have no qualms about executing their actions. God only knows what would have happened to this poor woman should they have gotten her inside their car. The more worrisome aspect is that now a stun gun is being used.
This is one of the many problems post-revolution and it will only get worse as elections near. When many of you watched from afar the media reports, you saw stones being thrown and sticks being used as weapons. Now it is relatively easy to find artillery and the like. In fact, I’ve seen an AK-47 and hand grenades just lying about at a house. The EVEN MORE worrisome aspect is that people don’t know how to properly use this equipment which makes me fearful of the violence that could ensue during elections or in the likely event that the elections are delayed again, the out lash from various people.
I think that saying you have loved every minute of your experience there is a little naive. Having been there five years perhaps a change is in order, sooner rather than later. There are so many other wonderful places to live and spend time in throughout the world, if anything it seems that Egypt has taken more of it than it should, and that you are missing out on other experiences. For someone with such a sense of adventure, it seems a great shame.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Brad. While I am aware that I have lived in Egypt for quite some time, this does not mean that my sense of adventure has in any way been stifled. I stand by my initial statements that I am loving living in Egypt and the experiences that I have been opened to. As there is much of my personal life that is not broadcast on the blog, I think it is a little naive for you to judge from the outside on whether it is time for me to move on or not.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the comment, and thanks for reading.
Five years in a country that collapsed last year, that has been bordering on civil and religious war since, which is currently tinkering with complete failure would be more than enough for anyone with a genuine sense of adventure, with there being so much more to see out there in the big wide world. So yes, being in the same country for five years in spite of all the nonsense there and your self-proclaimed sense of adventure, and then saying your have loved 'every minute'? Absolutely, that comment is certainly naive.
ReplyDeleteI understand that you have to defend your position though, people always have a rapid need to do so when things are laid out bare for them but they can't accept it for what it is.
It is not meant as a bash (loved 'every minute'? Really, there must be some bubble you have there that has never been left, that the other 18 million inhabitants of the city have not found) personally towards you, just that for someone with such a 'sense of adventure, it is a real shame that you have been stuck in one part of the world for so long, and a place that is largely average at best and which pales in comparison to many other places out there that anyone with a real 'sense of adventure' would have already headed towards years ago.
I'm sorry Brad, but couldn't have helped noticing your comments. Where exactly do you live? and have you ever been to Egypt or lived there either? A sense of adventure is definitely there and I'm sure you would know if you had experienced it yourself. I lived there for 5 years myself, as well as 4 other countries across the globe. If anything, it's you living in "some bubble." This judgment you've made is rather unfair, and you sound quite ignorant. I don't mean to sound rude, but I'm a huge fan of Suz's blog and believe you should think about what your saying before posting it...
ReplyDelete