Human rights activists demand more support for victims of sexual abuse

Sexual abuse continues to be a taboo in Morocco, according to Aicha Kelaâ, president of the Moroccan Association for Victims’ Rights (AMDV).

During a seminar on victims’ rights in the face of political factionalism, several rights activists urged for the development of the legal arsenal made available to victims of sexual abuse.

According to a 2019 national investigation, only 3 out of 100 victims of sexual abuse report their abusers to the police.
According to Kelaa, societal obstacles are behind the phenomenon.

“Victims of sexual assault suffer in silence in our country, which is exploited by powerful parties in order to silence their voices,” the activist said.

While sexual abuse is an issue that plagues many countries in the world, Belgian lawyer Stanislas Eskenazi notes that the phenomenon has led to the “destabilization of global justice systems, which has been highlighted by the media more than once.”

However, UN Women points out that only one in ten victims of sexual violence comes forward, often dropping their complaints due to inappropriate responses from authorities.

Additionally, shame and fear of blame are often behind victims’ lack of trust exhibited towards authorities.

According to former minister and human rights activist Nezha Skalli, Morocco must make efforts to update the current legislation on sexual abuse, describing the current penal code as “unmodern” as it includes “outdated” values.

“The woman becomes accused by authorities, while the man escapes punishment,” Skalli noted.