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VIDEO: Egyptian woman fights back after sexual assault

Rania Fahmy filmed retaliating against attacker, who was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison
Rania Fahmy hits her attacker with her bag after he assaults her in public (Screengrab)

An Egyptian man caught on camera sexually harassing a woman was sentenced to three years in prison this week.

A video of the assault shows the victim taking matters into her own hands, attacking the man and refusing to allow him to run away.

The incident, which took place in late 2017, attracted a lot of support for the victim who made sure her attacker was handed over to the police.

https://twitter.com/NasrHaidi/status/966387890929487872

Translation: #Rania_Fahmy Well done! We are all behind you, you were an Egyptian Saidi girl through and through. You taught him and those like him a lesson. God be with you and all of us always against people like this.

Translation: A salute of respect to this precious girl Rania Fahmy... Against harassment #Rania_Fahmy 

Rania can be seen hitting the 25-year-old man with her bag after he gropes her. She chases him and continues to beat him, refusing to let him escape.

The 20-year-old woman continues to chase the man, and involves passersby until he is arrested.

Video footage captured the moment the attacker touched her and the ensuing chase.

After months of campaigning for him to be prosecuted, the man, referred to as Islam in a report by the Egyptian news site Masrawy, was finally charged with sexual harassment earlier this week.

Islam is one of the first to be charged for this type of crime in Egypt's Said region. 

Sexual harassment remains a major issue in the country, with a report from the UN Entity for Gender Equality in 2013 finding that more than 99 percent of Egyptian women have experienced sexual harassment. 

In November, an Egyptian lawyer said on television that raping women in ripped jeans is a "national duty". 

In October, a poll revealed Cairo to be the most dangerous large city for women.

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