Many Egyptians are hoping that a new bill, set to come before parliament in two months, will put a stop to a surge in rapes throughout the country. The bill, prepared by the National Council for Women (NCW), a state-run agency that seeks to defend women's rights, would authorize the death penalty for rapists — a first in Egypt. The bill is seen as an attempt by Egyptian authorities to demonstrate their seriousness in criminalizing violence against women and putting an end to rape.
"The bill toughens penalties with the only aim of deterring rapists and preventing this crime from happening," Sanaa Khalil, a senior member of NCW's Legislative Committee, told Al-Monitor. "Rapes have reached alarming levels in this country."
