Sexual Harassment in Public Places of Afghanistan

Abstract

Afghanistan has seen many changes in the political and social arenas as a consequence of different wars. Afghan women, in particular, are the most vulnerable citizens of Afghanistan as they experience gendered violence, such as domestic violence and sexual harassment. Sexual harassment in public spaces is one of the most prevalent forms of gendered violence that women and girls face in their daily lives in Afghanistan. However, it is rarely the subject matter of discussion. Moreover, due to patriarchal norms and social relations, we usually do not get to hear women’s voices on the topic. This thesis explores the sexual harassment of Afghan women in public spaces in Afghanistan from the perspective of the women themselves. I used three methods: in-depth interviews, autoethnography, and discourse analysis. This thesis gave women an opportunity to discuss their experiences of sexual harassment and provide recommendations that can be used as an initial step to address sexual harassment in public spaces in Afghanistan.