Loubna Abidar, a Moroccan actress best known for her role as a sex worker in Nabil Ayouch’s “Much Loved,” also known as “Zin Li Fik”, argues for combating the culture of rape as she recalls the horrifying events that occurred after the film’s premiere and drove her to leave Morocco.
Saad Lamjarred, a Moroccan singer convicted of rape, has received a wave of widespread support from artists who have been dubbed “rape apologists.”
Loubna took to Instagram to address the injustice of how she was treated after playing a prostitute as opposed to how the convicted rapist is being treated.
“When I played this role in that film (Much Loved) that I will no longer present to you, to denounce a menace that we must all fight together, I was insulted, assaulted, and technically chased out of my own country by my compatriots to whom I thought to bring support, my stone with the building for this fight, that of the exploitation and ill-treatment of the Moroccan woman.”
“The country was outraged, but not at the right enemy”, wrote the actress on Instagram as she attached two screenshots, the first showing her wounded with head bandages with a title reading “Actress who played a sex worker in banned Moroccan film about rich Saudis using prostitutes feels the country for France after she is attacked,” and a second picture with a banner saying I love Saad Lamjarred and a title that reads, “Casablanca: a support manifestation for Saad Lmajarred takes place in front of the French consulate.”
Today, I watch my people rise, regroup, and make their voices heard against what appears to be, once again, the wrong enemy, she explained.
What we must battle now, according to Loubna, is the rape culture that sabotages our women, society, and children. “Too many women are affected, so don’t be a part of this life-destroying poison.”
I adore Morocco, my nation, and its people, and what I most want to see is its progress towards wonderful principles, and that effort begins here, she stated in her Instagram post.
“Let us stop criticizing individuals who claim to be victims and instead believe them and assist them in being heard, protecting themselves, and rebuilding themselves,” stated the actress.
For a long time, explained Loubna, “certain laws discriminated against rape victims, but we were able to reform them, so let us not back down now.”
She concluded that we should all stick together for good causes.
Ever since “Much Loved” was released in 2015, Loubna’s life took an extreme turn as millions attacked her viciously on social media and in real life for her explicit depiction of a sex worker in Ayouch’s film.
Her last straw was being attacked with a knife in Casablanca when no hospital or police station would take her in.
She previously told The Guardian, “I went to Casablanca’s main police station in the middle of the night and was received with laughter,” she said in the video. “The police officer said: ‘Finally Abidar, you got beaten!’”
She was called to court alongside Ayouch for charges of pornography, indecency, and more.
Many called for the execution of the actress, yet she refused to be silenced.
She has been documenting her new life in France as she took on some small roles here and there and carries on to love “safely”.
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