The site was launched in December 2010, just months before the Egyptian protests of 2011 that saw international media coverage of the shocking crimes committed against women. The Egyptian Center for Women's Rights reports that 83% of Egyptian women say they have been victims of sexual harassment, increasing to 98% of foreign women visiting or living in the country. With social unrest again sweeping the country, victims of harassment are again being urged to report any incidents.

As described by the organisation itself, “HarassMap was born as a response to the persistent problem of sexual harassment on the streets of Egypt, to which society has become increasingly tolerant. It is the first independent initiative to work on the issue. It makes us very happy to see that, over the last year or so, sexual harassment has evolved from being a taboo topic to one that is being widely discussed in the media and tackled by a new crop of independent initiatives”

The group invites victims of sexual harassment to contact them through SMS, email or via social network. HarassMap will review the report and add it to their interactive map in an attempt to provide “clear evidence for people who deny harassment exists and help us combat stereotypes about where, to whom, and how often harassment actually happens”.

People reporting incidents will also receive information about legal procedures, self-defense classes and counseling services.

There are currently over 1,060 reported incidents in Egypt reported on HarassMap, ranging from catcalls to sexual assaults. International users have also started using the map, including one reported attempted rape in Dublin.

Rebecca Chiao is one of the founders of HarassMap, and has given a TEDxTalk on the reasons behind the initiative:

You can view the full map on HarassMap’s website.