Beyond the shadows: domestic spousal violence in a "democratizing" Egypt.

This study provides an exposé of spousal abuse in Egypt in terms of its nature (prevalence, forms, risk factors, reporting), the criminal justice response, available services that deal with it, and its impact on individual women, the family, and the general societal fabric. This study is based on empirical studies, surveys, UN reports, and newspaper articles. Since the beginning of 2000, Egypt has witnessed legal, organizational, and political changes, both generally and concerning women. Some changes address the issue of spousal abuse directly, and others focus on empowering women in family and society. As a result, it is important to develop a baseline profile of spousal abuse for future research on and the evaluation of the effects of such policies and legal changes. This would enable researchers to measure over time strategies that influence change and reduce violence against women. This article provides the first step in the baseline.