We have yet another tragedy in the Arab world where a 16 year old Moroccan girl committed suicide in Morocco after being forced to marry her rapist — a man ten years her senior. The girl’s parents filed charges against the man but the court ruled that rather than punishing the man, he should marry his rape victim.
The forced marriage led to further abuse at the hands of the man and his family. The girl finally could take no more abuse and consumed rat poison to end her misery.
The Moroccan penal code exempts a rapist from punishment if he agrees to marry his victim.
The case obviously disgusts anyone with an ounce of humanity. The imposition of these medieval, misogynistic laws vividly demonstrates the divide with many Muslim nations. To call this a judge or a court is itself absurd. These are extensions of religious institutions — imposing oppressive conditions on women and girls. The thought of this child being forced to endure this abuse is truly horrific.
Source: AL Arabiya
Please people stop confusing culture and man made laws for ISLAM is has never accepted rapists to marry their victims it condemns them to death so do some research and keep your narrow minded opinions to yourselves
Sad story. But really nothing new to see here…this forced marriage stuff goes on every other day in the U.S. A lot of muslim girls in high school are not allowed to date or anything…they are forced to remain alone…forced to protect their ‘honor’…which is really just their virginity…so that they can be “worth” more for their arranged marriage. So yep, that is still happening Today in 2012 in America. So yea nothing really surprises me. I pray that GOD has mercy on her soul and ask on her behalf that her sins be forgiven. Amen.
By saying to an independent judge that if the woman or girl were to continue the marriage engagement or relationship they would be very doubtful of having a productive meaningful life and marriage is becoming more legally acceptable in some Arab and Western fudamentalist countries .
forced marriage without the freedom of consent of one or both participants is living with a spouse picked just for tribal demands or for poltical concerns. It can have a terribly dishonest false affection or false respect at its core . Why would anyone, domineering or not , would want to spend their adult years in any society that promotes extremely unhappy marrriages A personal incompatibility should be acceptable by one or both partners as a reason for not going into an unsuitable mariage perceived as that’s “it’s a man’s law and women have to get used to it “was acceptable up until the 19th century but even then only in very conservative societies. Sixteen year olds as forced brides in any country should be allowed to state their opposion . By saying to an independent judge if they were to continue the relationship or marriage would be very doubtful of a happy productive relationship .
I am not one to impede on the rights of other countries, but I am one to argue heavily when another person’s rights are being compromised. This was terrible, and for tradition it cost her her life. I really do hope that with the attention this story receives, activism will be stronger and more wide spread than before. This is a very unfair law. http://tothecenter.com/2012/03/moroccan-woman-commits-suicide-after-being-forced-to-marry-her-rapist/ goes into a lot more helpful detail.
Morocco: Rape-Marriage Law Will Be Amended
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/morocco-rape-marriage-law_n_1348686.html
Excerpt:
RABAT, March 15 (Reuters) – Morocco on Thursday said it would amend a law allowing rapists to marry their underage female victims after the suicide of a teenage girl raised doubts about the effectiveness of reforms to women’s rights in the country.
Sixteen-year-old Amina El-Filali killed herself last week near the northern city of Larache by swallowing rat poison after a six-month forced marriage to the man who raped her.
Local human rights activists say the law violates women’s rights and was created to avoid damage to the reputation of the victim’s family.
“This is a painful incident… This is an issue we can’t afford to ignore,” said Communication Minister and government spokesman Mustafa el-Khalfi.
“She was raped twice – once by the rapist and the second time by marrying him… We plan harsher sentences against rapists and we will launch… a debate about law 475 to reform it,” he told reporters.
Rape victims in Morocco carry a stigma of shame and dishonour. They are often suspected by police and judges of consent, and little social assistance is given to help them rebuild their lives.
Keith,
Just for the record, it was her mother I was with, not the daughter.