Moroccan activists demand investigation after cognitively disabled woman becomes pregnant from alleged assault

A Moroccan women’s rights organisation has called for an urgent judicial investigation after a young woman with a cognitive disability in the rural commune of Aghbala, near Béni Mellal in central Morocco, was reportedly subjected to repeated sexual assault that resulted in a recent pregnancy.

The Moroccan Organisation for Women with Disabilities said it received an emergency appeal from the woman’s family, noting that she has lived for years “in extreme vulnerability” without institutional protection. 

The group said preliminary information suggests the abuse was not an isolated incident, reflecting a pattern of unreported sexual violence affecting women and girls with disabilities, particularly in low-income rural areas.

Rights advocates say women with physical or cognitive disabilities face higher risks of abuse due to isolation, economic dependency and the absence of reporting mechanisms adapted to their needs. 

Morocco’s national survey on violence against women found that women with disabilities experience higher rates of psychological and sexual violence, though most cases go unreported. 

International research by UN Women and the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities shows that women with disabilities are up to three times more likely to experience sexual violence globally.

The organisation said the state has fallen short of its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, noting a lack of specialised procedures for reporting abuse, weak institutional coordination and limited access to shelters or disability-adapted services.

Morocco’s Law 103.13 on violence against women, adopted in 2018, criminalises sexual violence and expands protection tools but does not include specific provisions for women with disabilities, a gap repeatedly flagged by national rights groups and the National Council for Human Rights in its annual reports.

The group said authorities have not yet provided “immediate or effective” protection to the victim and warned that similar cases in rural areas often proceed without transparent investigations, reinforcing impunity.

It urged prosecutors and police to open a prompt and impartial inquiry to identify all suspects and ensure accountability. It also called on the Ministry of Solidarity and social sector agencies to establish a clear protection framework, including reporting channels, psychological support and legal assistance tailored to women with disabilities.

The organisation said it stands ready to support the victim’s family “until justice is served,” adding that the case reflects a broader, largely invisible pattern of sexual violence faced by hundreds of women and girls with disabilities across Morocco.