While progressive feminists in the West often focus on combating toxic masculinity and advocating for women’s rights, women in Egypt—particularly Coptic Christian women—face a more brutal and dangerous reality. The case of 21-year-old Julia Atef, who disappeared on October 26, 2024, after leaving her family’s home in Cairo for a meeting at St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church, highlights the ongoing dangers that Christian women in Egypt endure.
Julia’s disappearance is part of a disturbing pattern of abductions and forced conversions that have long plagued Egypt’s Coptic Christian community, which numbers between 10 and 15 million people in a population of 110 million. Copts, the largest Christian minority in the Middle East, have faced persistent violence, discrimination, and kidnapping. Many young Christian women are targeted, forcibly converted to Islam, and coerced into marriage with Muslim men, often with the tacit approval of Egyptian authorities who turn a blind eye to the abuse.
The problem of kidnapping and forced conversion is widespread, with several organizations documenting hundreds of cases over the past decade. According to Coptic Solidarity, there were at least 12 documented abductions in the first half of 2023 alone. These figures, however, are likely to be an underestimation, as many cases go unreported or are dismissed by authorities. The U.S. Helsinki Commission reported in 2012 that 550 Christian women had been abducted over a five-year period, with coercive methods resembling trafficking. Yet, Egyptian officials frequently claim that these marriages are voluntary, refusing to intervene or provide protection to the victims.
The case of Irene Ibrahim Shehata, a 21-year-old medical student from Asyut, underscores the apathy of law enforcement. After Shehata was kidnapped earlier this year, her family’s attempts to locate her were thwarted by police, who claimed she had run away with a Muslim man. Later, authorities obstructed the family’s efforts to rescue her, warning them of the kidnappers’ armed presence. As of September 2024, Shehata’s national ID had been altered to reflect her conversion to Islam, though she remains in captivity.
Another harrowing incident occurred in August 2023, when 25-year-old Mariam Samir Fayez, a graduate student, was abducted while en route to a bus station in Cairo. After her family filed a missing persons report, a video surfaced showing Fayez wearing a hijab and reciting the Shahada (the Muslim declaration of faith) under the supervision of an Islamist preacher. Fayez was eventually rescued, but the ordeal highlights the ongoing threats faced by Coptic women.
The Egyptian government, led by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, professes support for religious tolerance, yet Coptic Christians continue to face institutionalized discrimination. In interviews with local bishops, many Copts have expressed a lack of faith in the government’s ability or willingness to protect them from religious violence and abduction. While Egypt receives substantial military aid from the United States—$1.3 billion annually—its human rights record, especially concerning the protection of religious minorities, remains problematic.
The U.S. State Department briefly touched on the issue of abductions in its 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom, mentioning some efforts to locate and return victims. However, these reports largely gloss over the severity of the issue, with no specific mention of Coptic women in the human rights sections for Egypt. This omission is concerning, especially as U.S. law ties a portion of military aid to Egypt’s human rights record.
As the plight of Coptic women remains largely ignored in international discourse, it is crucial that the U.S. government takes a stronger stance. In future reports, the safety and protection of Coptic women should be a central issue. The U.S. Secretary of State should raise the matter directly with President Sisi, emphasizing that Egypt’s commitment to religious freedom and human rights must be reflected in the protection of vulnerable religious minorities, particularly women.
The next review of Egypt’s human rights record is an opportunity to hold the Egyptian government accountable and ensure that the safety of Coptic women is given the priority it deserves. Until then, the silence surrounding these abuses continues, leaving families like Julia Atef’s in limbo, desperate for justice and answers.
