A word of caution for female tourists visiting Egypt: be careful of the many of the men working in tourist areas in Egypt.
Although the vast majority of Egyptians have a high sense of honor and good conduct, it seems that tourist areas seem to attract a relatively high concentration of people with lax morals, who would exploit tourists in many ways. It can manifest itself as persistent aggressive begging, peddling cheap goods, charging 10X the normal prices for services and goods, and what this article focuses on: exploiting female tourists.
Looking at the bulk of the comments on my notes on compulsory army service in egypt they are mostly from non-Egyptian women who married (or intend to marry) an Egyptian man, and army service has become an obstacle.
So, once you here the word "habibti" (meaning "my love" in Arabic), and before you call him "Habibi", let alone go down the marriage route, read on below for more information.
The exploitation happens in many forms, but is normally centered around one of the following:
Easy and Free Sex
Many tourists come from countries where sex is more freely practiced outside of marriage. Youn g Egyptian men working in tourist areas who
are not married see this as an opportunity, and are met with acceptance from the female tourists.
A source for Money
Many Egyptian men who practice this scam view the "wealthy" tourist as a source of income. They keep asking their "girl friend", "fiance" or "wife" for money for various excuses, just like a professional scammer would play a confidence game on a victim.
An Opporunity for Immigration
Some of those men want to get out of Egypt, and see their marriage as a way to gain residence and citizenship in a Western country. The economy in Egypt has been stagnant for decades, and poverty, lack of opportunity and the high cost of marriage lures some youth to trying these tricks.
Why it works?
There are several factors that work in favor of the Egyptian scammers here.
One factor that helps is that most Egyptian men look desirable to Western women, being of darker complexion than their compatriots. The fact that the foreigners are white blonds work in making the women attractive and desirable for Egyptian men.
Another factor is that the woman is coming to the tourist place to have a good time. It may be a break from stressful work or study, or perhaps a past relationship. This helps blind her to what is happening.
Yet another factor is the cultural differences which also create temporary blindness.
Moreover, those workers being away from their village or city of origin, where they would be observed by their extended family and friends tend to make it easier for them to engage in sexual relationships and scams without being scrutinized by acquaintenaces, and no stigma is attached to these behaviors.
Finally, the scammers have perfected their techniques over the years, and are very skillful at what they do.
Blacklists
Blacklists have emerged on the internet, to warn potential female tourists from known exploiters. These have all the faults of user contributed content on the internet in that they can be innacurate, biased, or even rigged by rivals or pranksters. However, in the absence of any other information, they can be useful, provided they are taken with a good deal of skepticism and research and common sense applied.
- An overview article on what a "black list" is, at Arabia.pl.
- Dezy House: Blacklist for Hurghada, in English.
- Dezy House: Blacklist for Sharm El Sheikh, in English.
- Wanted List of Egypt.
- Egyptian Blacklist on Topix.
- KunstKamera blacklist.
Happens everywhere, not only Egypt
Before someone gets the impression that Egypt is a cesspool, and Egyptians are crooks, let me say it is neither.
The problem above is not limited to Egypt by any means. Any country where tourists come in to spend money has its share of exploiters. The above black lists have a Turkish one, and a Tunisian one, and there are lots of stories about French, Italian and Spanish men exploiting women tourists as well.
Of course, there is also the Russian bride fraud targeting well to do men in the West.
So, the problem is universal, although this article focuses on female tourists to Egypt.
Final Thoughts
There are many non-Egyptian women married to Egyptian men happily, so over-generalizing from the cases mentioned, or from workers at tourist resort is wrong. Chances are you will be happy with an Egyptian as a husband if you met him in a more natural settings, e.g. while studying or working, and getting to meet his family as well.
The "artificial" environment in resorts, being on holiday, and surrounded by some scammers lend itself to the disasters described.
So, beware ...
Further Reading
- Marwa Rakha: Relationship Warning: Do not get involved with Egyptian Men (also here).
- Global Voices: "Beware of Egyptian Men" says Canadian Embassy, also by Marwa Rakha.
- Trailing Grouse: Egyptian men marrying women for money.
- Yahoo Answers: Egyptian Men marrying foreign women to get out from Egypt.
- Sex, Sun, Stupidity and Gigolos.
- Amy Robson: n English girl who keeps falling in false love with Egyptian men (she finally returned to Britain).
- Someone searching on KunstKamera: for Honest Egyptian Boys?
- List if sites on Romance Fraud in German, and other languages.
- A movie documentary in the making on holiday romance, specially Hurghada.
- Female Sex Tourism on Wikipedia, has lots of links to extensive articles. While Turkey is listed as a major destination, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco are listed as "minor destinations".
- An article from a Canadian perspective: Sex tourism in full boom. Jamaica, Barbados, Dominican Republic and the Caribbean are the major destination for Canadian women.
Comments
Khalid
No
Fri, 2012/07/06 - 16:07No. Not you.
My mistake.
She posted as Anonymous and Lulu mostly.
Anonymous (not verified)
I won't be posting again, as
Sat, 2012/07/07 - 03:16I won't be posting again, as I have asked time and time again for the name to be removed. I have contacted Embassy and web maker regarding this, hacking and slander are two very serious issues when peoples livelihoods and names are in danger.
Thank you Khalid, I trust you will do the right thing for you r site.
Isis (not verified)
Thankful for the nice replies
Fri, 2012/07/06 - 03:17To Hanan, Lyn and Anon -thank you for your recent supportive posts.
It's a pity that no matter how the facts are presented, infatuation can be blinding for some and logic disappears. It is not "love" because "love" builds over time and these holiday romances that manifest in Egypt will never survive. The problem starts with the Egyptian men in tourist areas believing that western women are easy targets for both sex and money. They see the women wearing skimpy swim wear and spending up big in 5 star hotels in their predominately conservative Muslim country and they want the same "rich" life. The men come from poor backgrounds in villages, surviving day to day. Usually their only experience with a western lifestyle is via cable TV and they are not able to separate fantasy and reality. They gain work for a meagre monthly pay in tourist areas and "bingo" discover that western women are easy targets for sex and money in exchange for flattery and "love". The men then play on the "fantasy" that this is how women from the west behave.
I also believe that naivety on the part of female tourists visiting Egypt exacerbates the scamming and greed problem. Being pursued by a younger, handsome man who says all the right things is very hard to discourage but they should be aware that it is all part of the grooming process. Of course the younger, handsome man with the drop dead gorgeous smile hopes that flattery will get him every where and if his opening line is "you have beautiful eyes", you are definitely a target for a scam!
Encounters and liaisons with Egyptian men working in restaurants, on the cruise ships, in hotels, with dive centres, on feluccas, on caleshes, driving taxis, driving coaches and vans or in the bazaars are not worth the risk of losing your emotional stability, mental cohesiveness and financial security. Also run a mile if they are just hanging around the front of your hotel or restaurant or appear from no where with a a flattering opening line - they have already targeted you.
Salaam
Cleopatra ;-) (not verified)
'old slag' :-p
Wed, 2012/07/18 - 02:51Fitness instructor, LOL, informing the world, you get asked out by 'younger men in the UK', proves me right, when you go on to say that you were with your children, on a holiday, (not with friends.... ;-) ) and you met a Muslim man, who you most likely slept with, as you were returning to marry him, after Ramadan, OMG, it gets worse!! You take your kids, God knows how old they are, as I'm assuming you to be in your 50's, but you are making out your kids are young, so that does make you grubby, entertaining a Muslim man, and accepting his marriage proposal!! Ah, did you meet his family, and take your kids there too??
I don't believe a single word you are saying, you are just one of the oldies who go over their looking for sex and trying to buy young men, as the men in the UK, would not touch you with rubber gloves on!! Stay in your fantasy world, and I hope my post, shows what you women are like. In fact, women going over to Egypt, should look at what kind get on the plane, we look at them in disgust sometimes, and when we see them out and about, clutching the arms of their 'escort', thinking, act your age, dirty old women, with your bleached hair, and leather wrinkled skin, its DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!
Anon'ymously' (not verified)
Tsk Tsk Cleopatra
Sun, 2012/08/05 - 18:20What on earth rattled your cage? And what a lot of assumptions you make, for not really knowing very much about my story at all. I don't need you to believe any of this at all, so I am not going to bore myself with filling the blanks in for you. You are way off mark. How nice to know that you (and whoever your 'we' are) are standing in high judgment on other people - I hope you are not Muslim, because those are not very nice or charitable thoughts to be entertaining during Ramadan?
lynn (not verified)
you my friend are
Mon, 2012/07/02 - 06:55you my friend are deluded,wake up and smell the coffee before its to late.
Hannan (not verified)
Nigeria, Ghana, and most
Sat, 2012/06/30 - 17:01Nigeria, Ghana, and most African countries are not in Asia !!
Isis (not verified)
You have not read the title of this page correctly
Sat, 2012/06/30 - 22:18The title of this blog is "Warning to female tourists thinking of marrying Egyptians'.
It has nothing to do with scams in Asia.
It has a lot to do with "90 million of decent good people" in Egypt who should be concerned that it is causing considerable damage to the struggling Egyptian tourist trade and therefore the Egyptian ecomany which is in dire straits since the revolution.
It has a lot to do with the scams perpetuated by Egyptian men/boys in the resort and tourist areas of Egypt against women tourists. These scams are in epidemic proportions in Egypt and female tourists need to be made aware that they are potential targets.
Your criticism of Khalid is both unwarranted and inaccurate.
Anonymous (not verified)
"few people" in Egypt doing
Thu, 2012/07/05 - 04:23"few people" in Egypt doing bad things?! ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! almost no one in Egypt want help any robbery and fleeced foreign there, starting the police to ordinary people who pretend to nothing understand; and you know very well this, so, stay away!!!
Anonymous (not verified)
Mant Thanks For Your Commets
Mon, 2012/07/02 - 08:06Hi Everyone
English lady living in Germany here.
My mind is in absolute turmoil at the moment and I am still trying to figure out the most acceptable solution to my situation. I should make it clear that I do have feelings for my English boyfriend, he has provided me with a reasonable standard of living, never been unfaithful and can be relied on to be a rock of stability. He has taken me to some wonderful places and encouraged me to go to University, which enabled me to secure my present job. It was my idea to move from England to Germany as I could earn considerably more here and he was not afraid to give up his job to move here. He found work very quickly but does not earn as much as me, he never has a problem with this as he is happy with his job. Many do not find him boring as he loves extreme sports and rides a very fast sports motorcycle.
The problem is I enjoy being round young people as they give me a renewed zest for life, he often thinks they are immature and does not want to stay out drinking in night clubs until the early hours. In Germany it is not the done thing for a woman over 40 to be seen with young male company. In Egypt it is so different, I can wear my mini skirts,hot pants and croped tops while having a guy on my arm that is in his mid 20’s and no one gives us a second glance, in Germany I would be chastised for this behaviour. I also find that the young men in Egypt are far more mature in their outlook to life than those in England or Germany, they know how to treat a woman while still retaining their looks.
The options I have are
1) Carry on as usual, returning to Egypt for vacations with female friends, ensuring I can see my lover. He finds this acceptable as long as I can spend 4 to 5 weeks a year with him and will go along with this solution providing I continue to communicate via Facebook, text and phone in an almost daily basis. My English boyfriend would remain oblivious to this as I am in charge of my own money and could arrange for my vacation leave to fall on dates when he is working. I must admit I find this a very exciting proposition.
2) Leave Germany, my English boyfriend and my job and run into the arms of my Egyptian lover. I have worked out that with the money I have in savings and the money I could realise from the joint property I own I could by an apartment in the resort where we met and still have a considerable amount of money to live on. Long term I would marry my Egyptian guy and I would secure him a visa to Europe, this may take some persuasion on my part as he does not want to leave Egypt. I can be very manipulative though which my Egyptian guy finds attractive. He said that Egyptian woman are far too submissive to their men and he does not like that. As I said I still have my looks and when I look at photographs of us together we do not look dissimilar in age, when I look at photographs with my English boyfriend I can see an older man with a lot younger partner.
3) Forget my lover and carry on with my current life, I have thought about leaving my English boyfriend in the past but have never had the courage. I still have a lot of feelings for him that I cannot kill off but what woman would want to stay with someone who is almost 50 when a young good looking guy is waiting for them. We have had problems but have tried to work them though. I know he will be devastated if he found out what I was planning and the extent of communication between me and my Egyptian guy but for once I have to put my needs first. I feel that if I took this option my heart would die and I would be forever dreaming of Egypt and what might have been.
What makes my guy different to the others is that he loves the way I dress and has told me he would never expect me to cover up, is this typical of an Egyptian Christian or do they like their woman to dress modestly. He also does not communicate with other woman, his Facebook profile has very few European females as friends and this makes me seem extra special. The third point which gives me the upper hand in our relationship is that I am very headstrong and would ensure that the solution is the one that is best for ME. My Egyptian guy is putting no pressure on me, only telling me that I should follow my heart where as my English guy has always told me to follow my head.
I will take on board all of comments while making my decision but as I type this I can only think of the next time I will visiting Egypt either to see my lover or to live.
Love and Best Wishes to you all.
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