“Belamri Bahija”, a 45 years old single woman, who has been working since 2005 as an educational supervisor in the sports high school of “Draria” in Algeria
A victim of sexual harassment
In a telephone conversation with Mrs. “Belamri”, she said while crying: "I felt humiliated and despised and I was afraid of the scandal before finally deciding to begin my struggle against the one who harassed me"
Mrs. “Belamri” had a normal life until the day that overturned her life had come. In 2013, Mrs. “Belamri” asked the social services official a favour. The latter agreed without hesitation, but he had one condition which is to go with him to the forest, in order to satisfy his sexual desires. Mrs. “Belamri” was shocked from the official’s naughty request. She had a quarrel with him and decided to cut off any connection with him and to avoid getting close to him.
She said "I did not want to reveal the secret and I kept it for myself for fear of the scandal. I discovered later that it was wrong to hide that." In 2016, she asked the administration to benefit of the right of pre-retirement because of her mother's illness, in order to take care of her. Of course, she got her right to pre-retirement on 01 September 2017, but after her mother's death. Moreover, she didn’t even receive her salary for two months, which made her borrow from family and friends.
"My situation was very difficult, as I was shocked not only by the death of the dearest person to my heart but also by the cut of my monthly salary, which made me return to my workplace to look for what happened," said “Bahija”. Thus, she returned to the high school to ask for her delayed salaries. However, every time she came to the responsible, he procrastinates. She turned to the manager, who asked her in his turn to see the services officer and get closer to him to settle her problem, so she had to resort to him.
The molester refused to pay her the full sum but signed an instrument with half of the amount owed. Accordingly, “Bahija” retells her story: "He knew that I am in a miserable financial state, that is why he procrastinates to pay my dues"
He whispered to her: "You can get the rest of the money only after few days." At this moment, said “Bahija”, “when he handed me the first instrument, he pulled me to him and he physically harassed me. He hugged me in a disgusting way asking me to kiss him. At this moment, “Bahija” was outraged and started screaming and fled from this ‘human monster’ to the office of the director, but unfortunately, he was not in his office.
She declared in her statements exclusively to the Arab Trade Union Confederation website "I was in a state of deep depression. After my mother’s death and since I lost my father when I was a child, I’ve become alone. I felt humiliated and alone, without protection from ‘the human monsters’ who live without conscience. I became suspicious of everything. "
The complaint against sexual harassment is a scandal in our Arab societies
Two weeks later, because of her financial crisis, she decided to go back to ask for her financial dues, but he welcomed her more rudely than the past. Stated “Bahija”: "This monster said to me: “You
have no money to ask for here … just leave." she added also “I asked one of my relatives to help me take my money, then I finally decided to sue this man, whatever the consequences.
“Bahija” filed a complaint against the molester, in front of the republican prosecutor. However, at the police station, he denied all the charges, especially that the harassment was between him and her, without concrete evidence and with no prove that he did really harass her. “Bahija” said that this made her more insistent to prove that she is a victim of harassment of this ‘monster’, who exploits his position to harass women workers.
“Bahija” says that after he was heard by the police, he tried to be closer to her through the headmaster, asking her apology. As a result, she accepted to meet him with the presence of the director.
“Bahija” said during the meeting “he acknowledged all the sexual, physical and verbal harassment he practised on me, in front of the manager, asking for an apology saying: "I will not do it again… forgive me, this was wrong,"
The molester did not know that “Bahija” was recording his speech to submit it to the police to reopen the investigation and provide them with concrete evidence to prove his sexual harassment against her, which made him undergo, in front of the judiciary, which sentenced him with three suspended months of prison.
"He deserves more than that " said “Bahija”, who seemed unhappy with the verdict against the harasser, despite the evidences, she collected and presented to the Algerian judiciary.
The algerian trade unionists talk about the phenomenon of sexual harassment
In a question with the unionist “Yemina Magraoui” on the issue of harassment against women, "The phenomenon of harassment against women has become a serious problem in Algeria. In fact, officials are taking advantage being into a conservative society and harass women workers. Thousands of workers are sexually harassed but they cannot nor speak nor complain, fearing from the scandal, and even married women are victims of this dangerous phenomenon "
Mrs “Ghazlan Nasira”, the leader of the SNAPAP syndicate, has something to say about Mrs. “Bahija”: "Bahija” is only one sample among the other working women. Despite the criminal laws of sexual harassment, harassment is still high and women are more threatened than ever by their immediate officials."
Legally, Mr. “Malal Raouf”, a lawyer, affirms that the phenomenon of sexual harassment continues to rise, which confirms that the Algerian government is not interested in the status of working women, contrary to what is promoted at the international level and with international organizations. "Even judgments issued by the judiciary are not enough to deter the phenomenon of sexual harassment in workplaces "
"I wonder how the sexually harassed women would work as they are obliged to provide evidence that they have been sexually harassed?"
"Sexual harassment deals with individuals, so how a sexual harasser from his work position can benefit from the conditions of mitigation. Actually, the legal provisions should be reviewed in order to protect women from sexual harassment during their work."
After we contacted the human rights lawyer Mr. “Mohamed Soleimani”, we asked him about the nature of the crime of sexual harassment he said: "Sexual harassment is punishable by law, but what we have seen in the corridors of justice, there is a great deal of indulgence in these particular cases and there many women, who are sexually harassed, whose molesters have not been convicted of harassing them because of lack of evidence "
On this subject, Ms. “Magraoui”, a veteran trade unionist, said "Why criminalize sexual harassment, if the harassed are charged only if the victim provides evidence other than the harassment or the practical relationship that they have with their molesters." “Bahija” is militant worthy of respect and appreciation
The story of the struggle against sexual harassment of Ms. “Bahija” will make women's and human rights organizations in Algeria shed light on this phenomenon and try every time to pressure the government to amend laws that would protect women from violence and sexual harassment. In addition to push women to denounce this phenomenon, who remain locked in this ruthless society that make them afraid to even denounce or lodge a complaint against those molesters.
Amina. M
العربية 
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