The « Challenge for Equality and Citizenship » Association issued a strongly worded statement following an assault, harassment, and attempted rape of a young woman in Tangier, involving several minors and adults.
The association deemed the incident a clear reflection of the absence of effective public policies to protect women and girls from the increasing violence in public spaces.
The organization expressed its « outrage and regret » over the crime, which took place in a crowded passageway, where young men took advantage of the victim’s presence to engage in immoral and criminal behaviors prohibited under Law 103.13 on combating violence against women, as well as the Moroccan Penal Code.
The statement, seen by « Morocco 24, » highlights that the incident reveals a decline in values among some youth, who exploited what the association referred to as « temporary collective power » to violate the woman’s bodily integrity and human dignity.
The association stressed that this incident is not an isolated case but reflects the extent of the daily violence women face in Morocco in various forms. While this event was evidenced by a circulated video, thousands of cases of harassment and assault go unpunished due to the difficulty victims face in proving their cases, complicating judicial recourse.
Additionally, the association emphasized the failure of public policies aimed at protecting women, citing the lack of practical measures and resources needed for implementation. It also pointed out that the national educational curricula play a negative role by lacking a gender-sensitive approach, which is necessary to raise future generations with values of respect for women.
The association concluded by calling for urgent action to enhance awareness programs and strengthen penalties against perpetrators of these crimes, given their severity and the ongoing psychological and physical impacts on victims.
