ABUSED women will be given free legal aid by a newly established nongovernmental organisation in Alexandria, one of the founders has pledged. Free legal aid: A newly established NGO in Alexandria will give abused women and children free legal aid.
General coordinator Aida Nur Eddin said that the "Hand in Hand to Fight Violence against Women and Children" group aims to combat all forms of abuse whether physical, sexual, or verbal.
The society, which is made up of members of four NGOs; Women and Development, Family Planning, Islam Sunrise, and the Awakening, seeks to prosecute men for abusing their wives, or children, Abul Nur said.
The society, which focuses on empowering victims, plans to train 20 lawyers to handle domestic violence cases and give free legal counselling to abused women and children against their abusers, Nur Eddin said.
"It's going to encourage abused women and children to stand up for their own rights and take the necessary precautions to empower themselves," Nur Eddin said.
She has said that many cases of domestic violence go unreported with victims unwilling to speak out, fearing the shame and stigma associated with being an abused woman in society.
"Although domestic violence is punishable under Egyptian law, the police are reluctant to intervene in something that is considered a private matter," Nur Eddin said.
In addition, many women are financially dependent on their abusers and have nowhere to go once they have complained to police about being mistreated, she said.
The society also provides 20 service- providers to help abused women get medical and legal aid, she said.
They will also launch a campaign in Alexandria to warn women against the consequences of domestic violence and how to protect themselves and their children against abuse, Abul Nur said.
She said that domestic abuse cuts across educational and income divides.
Abul Nur blamed rigid cultural teachings that dictate gender rights and expectations and lax legislation for the prevalence of violence against women.
She said that her NGO is facing "high" levels of violence against women and children in Alexandria "Harassment, bullying and abuse were on the rise, with women and children suffering the most," she said, adding that the new NGO will take a lot of action to tackle the problem of domestic violence and abuse in this coastal city.
She said that she founded the "Hand in Hand to Fight Violence against Women and Children" group because legal services for women who experience violence simply do not exist.
