Woman in Saudi Arabia drives a car, gets harassed by men

A video capturing the moment a female Saudi motorist and her friends were harassed on one of the kingdom's highways sparked anger on social media earlier this week. 

The footage comes just a month before Saudi Arabia's ban lift on women driving is set to take effect in June. 

In it, a group of men filmed themselves as they verbally harassed the woman and her friends after they spotted them driving by.

While it remains unclear when and where the video was captured, it still sparked a heated debate on social media.

Just hours after the footage was uploaded on Twitter, many reacted to it with fury, calling on authorities to take action against anyone who harasses women on the road. 

Some did try to turn the situation against the women seen in the video, saying that because they were driving before Saudi Arabia's ban lift on women driving takes effect, they deserved to be harassed.

However, others shut them down and defended the women, stating that nothing at all can justify any form of harassment against them. 

Here's a little of what people said about the incident: 

"Women driving and at night, they are the ones who should be punished." 

"What right do you have to punish them!!! Only a harasser deserves to be punished. Besides, whether a woman goes out at night or during the day, that's her business." 

"In the 21st century."

"I feel it's impossible to see us advance."

"We need an anti harassment law that protects women from this kind of barbarism. This is shameful and frustrating."

The footage also led many to call on authorities to speed up the passing of an anti-harassment law currently being drafted by the kingdom, stating that this isn't the first time women are harassed on the road. 

Ordered in a royal decree issued by King Salman, the law is set to be passed in the coming few months. 

"You filming women driving will not change anything. Don't expect the government to backtrack on their decision to lift this ban."

Saudi Arabia's King Salman issued a royal decree granting women the right to drive in September last year. 

The order ended a long-standing policy that banned women from driving in the country. The ban had been heavily criticized by international campaigners and women's groups.

In recent months, Saudi women have been getting ready to get behind the wheel, attending driving lessons and prepping up to officially own the kingdom's roads.