The Moroccan government is concerned about the safety of children and women in the earthquake zone. Images of victims being sexually harassed are circulating on social media. The shocking images show how they are assaulted or persuaded to go with unknown men.
UNSAFE FOR GIRLS
A video was published on the Instagram account of 7achak.Maroc showing how a man harasses a younger girl. “What a beautiful girl you are. Will you come with me to Casablanca? I will marry you,” the man says to the girl. The video has since been removed but continues to be cited by activists. According to the Moroccan media, there are still more examples like this: Several messages have been shared calling on men to travel to the disaster area and protect the girls by marrying them.
The women’s organization Kif Mama Kif Baba is asking the government to take action. The platform fears the kidnapping and sexual assault of children. “They are devils who abuse the vulnerability of children affected by an earthquake for their own derailed, pathological and sexual urges,” the organization wrote in a statement.
MEASURES
The government launched an emergency number yesterday and will take measures to protect orphans in the area. King Mohammed VI also announced that the orphans in the disaster area would fall under the protection of the nation. The announcement refers to an article of law that talks about moral protection and material assistance.
Furthermore, the National Commission for the Protection of Human Trafficking said in a statement that several images have been verified. According to the Moroccan police, this has led to the arrest of a suspect who wanted to travel to the earthquake zone to abuse victims.
VULNERABLE
After the earthquake that occurred last week, almost 3,000 people died. According to UNICEF, 100,000 children are affected. These children have been injured, lost their homes or families or died. The unsafe situation makes the children extremely vulnerable. There have been no reports of kidnapped children yet.
