'My husband was an angel - then he raped me' By Wael Hussein image copyrightGetty Images Women in Egypt are breaking down the walls of silence surrounding sexual abuse. Now one of the latest fightbacks is against marital rape, an issue which until recently has been largely taboo. Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual violence. On her wedding night, 34-year-old Safaa was raped by her husband. The attack left her with injuries to her groin, wrist and mouth. "I was on my period and wasn't ready to have sex that night," she says. "My husband thought I was evading having an intimate relationship with him. He beat me, handcuffed me, muzzled my voice and raped me."