Despite the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, promising to apply the harshest punishments in the new draft criminal legislation against child rapists, these heinous crimes keep happening, significantly to the distress of Moroccan families.
Only a few weeks had passed since the rape that shook the city of Tata, and now another rape crime had occurred, ending in the killing of a three-year-old girl, and instilling panic and anxiety into Moroccan society.
In this regard, Hassan El Mrabet, director of the Hope Association for Childhood, told Hespress AR that “efforts must be intensified to sensitize and educate Moroccan families about the seriousness of this phenomenon, as well as to take more precautions and be wary of strangers.”
El Mrabet emphasized the importance of inflicting the harshest sanctions possible on anyone who abuses children.
“The procedures followed in this regard are somewhat slow,” he continued, “which increases the tragedy and suffering of the victims and their families.”
He emphasized the importance of accompanying victims of rape crimes, whether male or female, because of the difficulty of their moral and material situation in overcoming the consequences of what they were subjected to.
“It is unfortunate that we are witnessing today a dramatic rise in the rates of sexual assaults committed against children,” said Samira Mohya, head of the Federation of Women’s Rights League, adding that “the spread of this phenomenon in Moroccan society reveals the existence of human monsters.”
She stressed the importance of state intervention, in addition to all of its linked institutions, to offer essential safety for these children, emphasizing that the state must accompany the victims and provide monetary and moral support.
“The time has come to issue a criminal law that guarantees the rights and freedoms of individuals, and puts an end to this violence and abuse to which these children are subjected,” said the activist.
She suggests “not restricting the judge’s authority with regard to sexual assaults, and renewing penalties related to gender-based violence and sexual assaults committed against children, women, and girls.
She advocates for the revision of rape laws in accordance with international norms, with no distinction made between women or girls who have been raped (married minor, single, virgin) in issuing the judgment.”
Mohaya declared that the Federation of the Association for Women’s Rights condemns the issuance of lenient sentences by the courts.
The same spokeswoman praised the great role played by civil society and media platforms in monitoring and exposing these criminals.
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