Photos of a man allegedly masturbating in a car outside a high school in Tunisia has sparked outrage in Tunisia, ABC News can report.
The man in the photos which has since gone viral is a recently elected MP, Zouheir Makhlouf.
The alleged incident, has prompted an outpouring of stories by women about the sexual abuse and harassment they have experienced.
Hundreds of women have taken to social media to share their stories under the hashtag #EnaZeda, which means “MeToo” in Tunisian Arabic.
#MeToo #EnaZeda #Tunisia
I broke the silence, I did it for myself, for us,and for the next generation…
They attacked me,they insulted me.
But I feel stronger.https://t.co/1GyX1pEqmj— Asma Thabet (@AsmaThabet5) November 4, 2019
A video showing the politician sitting in a car with his trousers dropped to his knees was shot last month by a student who shared it online alongside accusations of harassment.
Zouheir Makhlouf has however denied the allegations, saying he was about to urinate into a bottle as he is a diabetic.
Women, wearing #EnaZeda T-shirts, gathered outside parliament earlier this month when MPs were being sworn in, demanding the case be investigated.
Although the MP enjoys parliamentary immunity under Tunisia’s laws, a judge is still examining the case.
The #EnaZeda campaign was inspired by the huge global movement that bloomed in 2017 in the wake of sexual assault allegations by multiple women against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Tunisia is considered a pioneer on women’s rights in the Arab world and was the first predominantly Muslim country to abolish polygamy in 1956.
But the taboo on confronting sexual misconduct remains strong, especially within the family.
It is rare for victims to pursue formal complaints, despite sexual harassment in public places being punishable by a one-year prison term and a fine of 3,000 dinar (US$1,051) since July 2017.
