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
Isis (not verified)
Valid points
Sat, 2010/05/22 - 06:02Points are points Khalid and they are ALL valid but I will protect a western woman's right to freedom and choice without the need to labelled a postitute. As Zampokh has never stepped a foot out of Egypt it is obvious that his views are blinkered and very unfair. I spend much time in both in east and west and I can see both sides of the coin but to blame western women for the sex trade problem in Egypt is way off the mark. Stop the scammers and the gigilos perpetuating this scenario in the tourist areas and the problem will be all but solved.
zampokh (not verified)
you smart, it is not only
Sat, 2010/05/22 - 11:13you smart, it is not only egypt. I posted a full article saying that you have this proplem every where your western women go. but you can't see the truth you are blinded by your racism this problem is every where your women go.
you want the whole world to change to give you the pleasure you want.
Hannah (not verified)
Isis, there is no point
Sun, 2010/05/23 - 10:21Isis, there is no point arguing with this man, he obviously has deep rooted psychological problems and needs to see a psychologist, so you are really wasting your time, good luck to you, from Hannan. uk.
Egyptian man (not verified)
Dont stereotype
Sat, 2010/05/22 - 06:37I second that Khalid.
Not all Egyptians are demons or saints , same goes for any nationalty.
Not all women are cheaters or possible cheaters.
Just Dont stereotype and you will live in peace of mind.
zampokh (not verified)
I told you don't make
Sat, 2010/05/22 - 11:06I told you don't make assumptions and don't jump to occlusions in order not to appear as an ignorant.
I traveled every where. I know the country where you came from very well. I know how your communities look from inside. We are not discussing the western women freedom here. You deliberately directing the thread in a wrong direction. We are discussing the morally loose culture where you came from.
Your morally loose women are spoiling our young boys not the opposite. 10 years ago having sex outside marriage was a sham, but when you started to come by millions to our country we started to hear these problem.
This cheap flesh you offer every where not only in Egypt is not a freedom it’s a sham
You have to tell your women to behave themselves and don’t be that cheap and it then will be no problem. As you defending your western women (no matter right or wrong)
I will defend my country and my culture and for any of those whores who come here to complain we will not accept this any more. And it is so simple weather to be behave or don’t come at all.
Médecin (not verified)
"Schizophrenic Contradiction"
Thu, 2010/05/27 - 22:31I am an Egyptian man, and believe me i was so offended with your comments (Mr zampokh) , although you seemed sometimes to make some points (regardless I agree or disagree with), but you often come to end your comments with harsh sentences/words.
You accused Isis that she didn't read your posts, while if you've yourself done that for the stories and posts, since the beginning, you would have known,that most of the posts were far away from the 'racist circle', mostly using acceptable/respectable logic,
You'd have noticed also, the very well said/balanced points that khaled has made along the discussion,
You'd have known too, that Isis as well as Hanna, did give very good examples for a successful marriage with Egyptian men.
It's so clear that in away, you are overwhelmed with the idea 'they come to take our flesh'
how and where i can buy this sentence, please tell me,
it does not only sound 'racialist', but also from the middle-age times.
And you do contradict most of your points, and your basic line is always, that you are the right, and them 'western women' are wrong.
and it seems that the problem is not only they are 'western' but also 'women'
so double revenge...
You talk about morals of our society, better call it ''RULES'',
OK, let's talk about it, but frankly !!!!
Aren't you Egyptian ?!! Don't you know, that it's not a problem of 'western women' ?!!
Don't you know that in Egypt, every thing can be done, but under table...
Didn't you hear about the 'big festival of harassment' in the last years, in the time of a 'religious feast' !!! (didn't want to go in details)
Didn't you read a very old description for the 'schizophrenic Contradiction' for our societies, written by one of our most popular writers 'Najeeb Mahfouz' in his Novel 'Cairo Trilogy', The trilogy follows the life of the Cairene patriarch Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad and his family across three generations !!!
You blame their rights to practise their 'LIFE' under the sky/sun ?!! uncovered ?!!
You assume that we are happy nation, with our 'rules' ?!!
I will just ask you to look for the faces of people, inside houses, behind doors, and in the streets...Look into their souls and hearts, if any of these words still have any meaning !!!
If there is a smile, so it's a BIG and empty one, missing the LIFE.
We have the Sun, and yet, we never know how to enjoy the sun, we have the passion, and yet, it's forbidden in the 'light', and those who refuse to live under the table, will end living as dead souls inside moving bodies...
As a Conclusion, we have a problem as a society, we can stay 100 of years (it's how long it takes to change a mentality), or we can start and face ourselves.
The time to blame others has unfortunately gone, and we are too far late...
Hannah (not verified)
Well said Medecin, I agree
Fri, 2010/05/28 - 20:49Well said Medecin, I agree with all you have said, there are too many hypocrits in all societies, they are best ignored. From Hannan.
zampokh (not verified)
You are so sweet Isis, of
Sun, 2010/05/30 - 08:19You are so sweet Isis, of course you have to agree, you finally found someone who claims that he is Egyptian and saying without conditions that he is belonging to a stupid, close minded culture. what else you want. So it is not surprising that you agree for every single word he said.
But for me, this will never be the case. Each time you will dare to attack my culture I will attack yours and this not personal. And by the way and I said that before I know well your culture and I have been several times to your country and other western countries so I know well what I’m talking about, and I will never say something just to score points. I will always hit you where you deserve.
I said that several times every culture has it is dark areas, no place hear for blaming each other and I said it several times in the previous scenario there is no victims they are both wrong but no one wants to listen.
zampokh (not verified)
Dear Mr. Medicine I'm very
Sun, 2010/05/30 - 15:09Dear Mr. Medicine I'm very thankful to you because you let me know that you belongs to a dirty culture and I men you. Because Egypt as I see it, is totally different from the way you see it.
if you lived in the west for a while you would have known that although the sex their is like coccola, available for every one, you can be a 9 years old guy and have sex you can be an 11 years girl and get pregnant, nevertheless sexual harassment is hundered times more than what you see in Egypt and raping women their is like drinking fizzy water.
40% of the siblings in England are illegitimate.
and just to make it clear I don't have any problem with western culture or any other culture, it's every one's choice at the end. but I'm totally against imposing your choices on others and make your choices as the standard and all others are wrong and need to change.
Médecin (not verified)
Very true Hannan !
Sun, 2010/05/30 - 17:50There are too many hypocrits in all societies, they are best ignored.
And as appeared from the previous so-called comment, that the commenter didn't even try to check who's he is talking about !!!
So, instead he replied you, while titling his reply to 'Isis'
From that, i conclude that either he even doesn't pay enough attention, or he use someone to write for him,
as there is really fluctuation in the used language used!!!
One positive thing, is that it's the first time along the discussions, that he couldn't pick some points for other misleading.
May be it was too much 'Facts' and 'Logic'
and may be, as we all knows, -'all' mean who live inside Egypt- all know very well, the facts.
Anyway, as for me, it's not at all 'Personal', and i won't be pulled to that circle,
So i don't have to swear and repeat that I am Egyptian, and i have been traveling, bla bla ...
These articles are not debate, they are clearly directed to anyone 'man' or 'woman', any human he has questions !!!
I know there are many in the middle of a realtionships, and sometimes it is just confusing...
So, it is not a place for proofing which civilization is better, because simply, there is no 'better', but there are different ones, with different believes, thoughts and attitudes, as well as behaviours...
I hope wo read the comments will know, that everywhere, we still can find the reasonable honest humans, and aslo we can find the opposite.
I will end with the 'key scentence'
There are too many hypocrits in all societies, they are best ignored.
So, unless there is no new points, for the benefit of any one who reached this place, searching for answers, i will be ignoring non sense debate.
By the way, I am Egyptian doctor, and the word 'Médecin' means doctor in french language.
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