Brazilian doctor arrested after video of him sexually harassing woman in Egypt goes viral

A Brazilian doctor and social media influencer has been arrested in Egypt after sexually harassing a woman whilst on holiday in the country.

The comments, which were caught on camera, were made in the tourist city of Luxor in Upper Egypt to a woman working in a souvenir shop selling papyrus.

In the video, Victor Sorrentino and his friend make sexually explicit comments to the woman and then laugh together.

The video went viral in Brazil where women’s rights activists launched a social media campaign condemning his actions, under the Arabic hashtag, ‘hold the Brazilian harasser accountable.’

One Twitter user apologising on behalf of Brazilians and another pointed out that his behaviour does not represent Brazil.

“Brazilian women support our sisters in Egypt,” wrote another. “Let’s hold the Brazilian harasser account. Please Egypt keep him behind bars. Together we can.”

OPINION: How women in Egypt are defeating the government’s archaic legislation

The doctor has now deleted the video and apologised to the woman. Reports, however, have said that he did not explain to the woman exactly what he was apologising for as she had not understood his initial lewd comments which were made in Portuguese.

Egypt has been fighting sexual harassment in the country for years, a battle which culminated last year in its MeToo movement which followed the news that a former AUC student had sexually assaulted and raped dozens of women.

In April thousands took to social media under the Arabic hashtag #guardianshipismyright in response to a draft law which rights groups described as archaic.

The draft personal status law meant that a male within a woman’s family could annul a marriage within one year if it took place without her consent. It eliminated women from legal and official decisions related to their children and stripped them of the power to make decisions over their healthcare.