Moroccan NGOs are calling out a court ruling against three adult rapists of a young 11 year old girl, who only got two years in prison for their continued assault on the minor.
Sociologist Soumaya Naamane Guessous published an open letter to the minister of justice, denouncing the “scandalous sentence” and insufficient jail time that the 25, 32, and 37 years old rapists were given, considering the victim eventually became pregnant.
“I denounce an inadmissible injustice,” starts the letter, which lists details of the tragic rape case of the Tifelt girl, referring to her as S.
S was threatened by the criminals, leading to her hiding her pregnancy for eight months after the repetitive sexual assaults.
Once her parents discovered her belly, they reported the sexual assault to authorities 15 days before she gave birth.
During the trial, says the letter, a woman offered to take care of the girl so that she follows her studies. INSAF association has since then taken part in helping the child as well.
The child will always be considered illegitimate, despite a DNA test proving that one of the rapists is the father, continues Guessous.
Two of the rapists will pay the victim MAD20.000 and the third MAD30.000 reads the letter.
Moroccans are calling for the minister of justice to react to Guessous’ letter as NGOs are voicing their concerns regarding the future of S and her child.
The founder of the Alternative Movement for Individual Freedoms (MALI), activist Betty Lachgar pointed out that some of Guessous’ statements are rather unsettling, despite rooting for the same cause.
Lachgar stated that the open letter evokes some patriarchal points, explaining that “It is obviously out of the question that a victim of rape, even less a minor victim, can call the ‘progenitor’ to be the father of the child.”
This defies is the basis of the feminist fight against sexual violence, explains Lachgar,
“Guessous asks that the DNA test, which is not taken into account in Moroccan law, can be taken into account so that the parent can be known as the father of the child,” she further explained.
Lachgar just like Guessous, believes that the sentence is far from fair.
MALI’s founder said that “This trivialization of rape is revolting and scandalous; institutions minimize the seriousness of the crimes of male sexual violence against women and children. This normalization comes from the idea that sexual violence is neither a priority nor a societal ban.”
This case serves as a perfect example of the shortcomings of a whole system in the battle against sexual crime.
According to Lachgar, the main barrier in this conflict is the aggressors’ impunity, as offenses are now considered misdemeanors.
She explained her disagreement to Guessous wanting the child to carry the father’s family name, saying that feminists all over the world are fighting so that children born out of such cases carry the name of the mother, instead of the mother’s rapist.
« Recognizing the rapist as the progenitor as the father is an act of patriarchal violence, » she concluded.
By backing the NGOs’ requests that the justice minister consider Guessous’ letter and make a reform so that justice is served, Moroccans demonstrated their deep sympathy for the unfortunate case.
How. We still live in the Middle Ages. 3 criminals between the ages of 25, 35 and 37 assaulted an 11-year-old girl and were then sentenced to two years in prison. This is disproportionate. This is an adulum. The Minister of Justice must intervene, otherwise the entire government will have to go home. Mr. Akhanos (Head) You have to take responsibility. Consciously wise. “This is a very serious matter for the future of our society.” please.