Unreasonable

Fighting Back Against Sexual Assault in Egypt


On an otherwise reasonable evening in July, more than 1,000 people packed an auditorium in Boulder, Colorado, for the culmination of the 2014 Unreasonable Institute. They came to see 11 ventures present their solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges.

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In this powerful presentation, Aspire founder and CEO Basant Motawi recounts the harrowing personal story that prompted her to launch her Cairo-based venture. Aspire combats sexual assault in Egypt with self-defense classes for women, awareness campaigns in popular gathering places, volunteer patrols that partner with police to target high-risk neighborhoods, and legal and psychological support services for victims.

To date, Aspire has seen a 20 percent reduction in sexual assaults in areas where it operates. And Motawi is now working on the launch of a nationwide for-profit arm of self-defense centers for women.