Ahmad 
Demands for strict measures to combat harassment have increased in Morocco, after an opinion poll revealed that women continue to be subjected to harassment.
The poll, the results of which were published on June 7 in the Arab Barometer research magazine in cooperation with the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis, showed that 79% of Moroccans believe that sexual harassment is widespread in the streets, and 65% believe that it occurs in work settings.
These numbers sparked strong reactions from women’s associations in Morocco, which demanded that legal texts be reconsidered and improved to provide adequate protection for women victims of violence.
Hanan Rehab, national writer for the Socialist Organization of Federal Women, described the numbers as unsurprising, noting that women suffer from harassment on a daily basis in public spaces, places of work and study.
Rehab stressed the need to improve laws and make additional efforts in socialization institutions, especially in schools.
Samira Mohia, President of the Federation of Women’s Rights League, expressed her concern about the increase in various forms of violence, whether electronic, marital, or sexual harassment.
She explained that the listening, guidance and legal counseling centers are witnessing an increase in complaints from women victims of violence, despite the efforts made by the state through Law No. 103.13, which entered into force in 2018.
Mohia confirms that the current law suffers from gaps and shortcomings and does not provide adequate protection and protection for women.
She pointed out that the masculine mentality in popular culture encourages harassment practices, and that the burden of proving harassment often falls on women, which makes it difficult to file complaints due to the lack of sufficient proof.
The women’s associations called for amendments to be made to the legal arsenal to comply with the constitution and international agreements, and to establish a framework law that provides prevention, protection, and freedom from impunity. They called for improving the response of the security authorities to any complaint related to harassment and providing an appropriate legal framework and public policies to combat violence against women.
According to statistics issued by the High Commission for Planning in 2019, 372,000 women were exposed to sexual harassment in public places, and 32,000 women were subjected to sexual violence in the professional community, especially in the private sector.
Moroccan law defines the perpetrator of the crime of sexual harassment as anyone who harasses others in public or private spaces with actions or words of a sexual nature.
Legal penalties stipulate imprisonment from one month to six months or paying a fine ranging from 200 to 10 thousand dirhams, with the possibility of tightening penalties in special cases.
These issues remain the focus of widespread attention, as demands are increasing to strengthen the legal and cultural framework to protect women and guarantee their rights in a society free of violence and harassment.
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