A demonstration was held in Tahrir Square in Cairo on Tuesday to highlight the military's use of excessive violence towards female protesters.
A demonstration was held in Tahrir Square in Cairo on Tuesday to highlight the military's use of excessive violence towards female protesters. Twitter

Thousands of Egyptian women occupied Tahrir Square in Cairo on Tuesday to highlight the military's use of excessive violence towards female protesters.

A Facebook page called on all women - regardless of their ethnic, political or religious backgrounds - to join the demonstration and protest against sexual abuse and harassment by police officers and members of the military.

Some of the activists took to Twitter to publicise the event, with one post reading: "#womenmarch has women from all ages and all backgrounds. I love this. This is my #Egypt."

The move follows footage and photographs being posted over the weekend of a female protester being beaten and dragged around by Egyptian troops.

Throughout the course of the revolution, other female protesters, activists and journalists have complained about suffering similar abuse at the hands of the security forces, either after they had been arrested or were being detained.

The most common accusations involve being insulted, beaten up, groped and sexually assaulted.

In March, a group of 17 women complained about being forced to submit to virginity tests while they were held in detention.

One of them was 25-year-old protester Samira Ibrahim, who has since filed an official complaint.