- Reporters: Fadila Fahmi and Contributing Writer Dareen Emad
- Editor: Marina Ramy
- Image Credits: IMDb
During Ramadan 2025, the Egyptian television series Lam Shamseya (The Elephant in the Room) broke new ground by tackling the issue of child sexual abuse, a subject that is rarely addressed on Egyptian screens.
“Three decades ago, you would’ve been penalized if you discussed something that may affect the reputation of children,” said Mervat Abo Oaf, professor of practice at AUC’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.
As families gathered for their nightly viewing, the show stirred difficult but necessary conversations about how and when children should be introduced to such painful truths.
The series, starring Amina Khalil, follows a storyline where her character discovers that a close family friend has molested her stepson. By confronting this reality, Lam Shamseya pushes the conversation forward about whether introducing children to sensitive issues fosters awareness or instead exposes them to fear and anxiety before they are emotionally prepared.
“I’m a big believer in the impact of soft power, in drama, cinema, or any kind of soft production in sending messages, especially the ones that are controversial,” said Abo Oaf.
The topic of child sexual abuse in particular is highly controversial, yet pertinent in Egypt.
“Roughly 93 percent of Egyptian children aged one to 14 years old suffer from violence,” said Khalid Darwish, advisor to the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, during a recent round-table discussion organized by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation and UNICEF.
He explained that this violence often occurs in spaces where children should feel safest, such as their homes, schools, or sporting clubs.
“Children are subjected to violence by those who are supposed to care for them, such as parents, teachers, or family friends,” added Darwish.
Additionally, according to the Al-Azhar International Medical Journal in 2020, male cases were more prevalent than female cases (70.7% vs. 29.3%), with male children in the school-age group (6–12 years) representing the highest percentage of sexually abused children (47.7%). Anal abuse was the most common injury among male cases (73.4%). However, only a fraction of these cases are ever reported.
Statistics like these have prompted some parents and experts to call for more open conversations with children about harm and protection, even when the topics are uncomfortable.
“These things happen way more than we know and we cannot pretend they simply don’t happen,” said Nesreen Baalabki, a private Arabic tutor for children, and a mother of three. “Letting a child suffer through abuse in silence because they didn’t know it was wrong is abuse itself.”
She added that she feels the Ramadan series fills an urgent educational gap and mentioned that a few of her students asked her questions about the show, indicating that they had grasped some aspects of it.
These conversations were part of a broader pattern sparked by the show’s willingness to tackle difficult topics.
Sara Aziz, founder of Safe Egypt, a nonprofit that combats child sexual abuse and promotes gender equality through psychological support, education, and creative tools like games and storytelling, observed a shift in how the issue is being addressed.
“After the series was aired, we received a lot of cases that are similar to the one in the series,” said Aziz.
She believes this was directly linked to the series, which had a positive impact by showing the public they are not alone and encouraging them to speak up.
Aziz explained that as a result of children’s exposure to the series, many have been able to access the support they need, which is important because the effects of child sexual abuse are severe and complex, ranging from short-term psychological distress to lifelong physical and mental health challenges.
According to a 2022 study titled “The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Its Associated Stigma on Depressed Women in Egypt,” published in The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, the immediate psychological effects include emotional trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), behavioral changes, and cognitive changes. The long-term consequences include low self-esteem, self-harm, intimacy issues, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation. Several of these effects were also depicted in the series.
However, despite the series’ impact in encouraging children to speak up, child psychology experts stress the importance of age-appropriate communication when addressing sensitive topics like those depicted in Lam Shamseya.
“You have to be very sensitive in how you deliver the content because each age group has different cognitive processes,” said Hania Khairy, a child psychologist.
She noted that when children reach an age where they can conceptualize the topic, it can then be discussed in a more detailed manner.
“I was working with kids as young as four years old, and they would teach them in a simple way that certain parts of the body are not to be touched,” said Khairy.
In addition to the psychological impact, the show also prompted a discussion on how media producers should present heavy topics responsibly to young audiences.
Some producers emphasized the role of parental involvement when children are exposed to sensitive content.
Heba Magdy, a producer that works for MBC Masr, suggested that if parents choose to let their children watch shows like Lam Shamseya, they should supervise viewing, create safe spaces for discussion afterward, and “use simpler language to explain big things.”
Lam Shamseya, she added, does not include intense visuals that could directly trigger anxiety. However, if a child has had previous experiences with abuse, viewing the series could still provoke severe reactions.
Ultimately, Magdy believes it all depends on how the show is filmed and whether it has scenes that might be provoking to some audiences. It all goes down to what the scenes are composed of.
Magdy added that exposure to intense portrayals of abuse and harassment can trigger extreme anxiety in children, especially when delivered through visual media.
There is a significant difference between teaching children about personal boundaries in an age-appropriate way and exposing them to traumatic scenes, which can sharply increase their stress and anxiety levels.
