Seriously, is there a region (besides maybe Scandinavia) where street harassment is not a problem? I just came across an article about how pervasive the problem is in Morocco.
“Many girls suffer molestation in the streets of Morocco which often turns into sexual harassment. And in most cases it becomes difficult for these girls to respond or even to report these violations to the authorities, because the relevant law in this aspect has not been ratified yet.”
Girls and women share their harassment experiences in the article and some men talk about why it happens, including blaming their targets by saying they dress provocatively (Puleaze. I’m beyond tired of that excuse.)
The article ends on a positive note though. It tells how Adib Abdel-Salam, a founding member of the Network against Sexual Harassment Cases in Morocco, advocates for the creation of a toll-free number to help women report their cases of harassment (workplace or street) and for an easier courts process to make it easier for harassment targets to use legal means to combat it. He also stresses the importance of education and promoting respect among people. In 2008, the Moroccan parliament discussed a draft law to criminalize sexual harassment but it hasn’t been ratified.
So it seems, like many other regions around the world, the Moroccan government is starting to recognize this problem and hopefully in time will remedy it.
