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Amina
Filali, 16
Commits Suicide After Forced Marriage To Rapist
RABAT,
Morocco -- The case of a 16-year-old girl who killed
herself after she was forced to marry her rapist has
spurred outrage among Morocco's internet activists and
calls for changes to the country's laws.
An online petition, a Facebook page and countless tweets
expressed horror over the suicide of Amina Filali, who
swallowed rat poison on Saturday to protest her marriage
to the man who raped her a year earlier.
Article 475 of the Moroccan penal code allows for the
"kidnapper" of a minor to marry his victim to
escape prosecution, and it has been used to justify a
traditional practice of making a rapist marry his victim
to preserve the honor of the woman's family.
"Amina, 16, was triply violated, by her rapist, by
tradition and by Article 475 of the Moroccan law,"
tweeted activist Abadila Maaelaynine.
Abdelaziz Nouaydi, who runs the Adala Assocation for
legal reform, said a judge can recommend marriage only in
the case of agreement by the victim and both families.
"It is not something that happens a great deal
– it is very rare," he said, but admitted that
the family of the victim sometimes agrees out of fear
that she won't be able to find a husband if it is known
she was raped.
The marriage is then pushed on the victim by the families
to avoid scandal, said Fouzia Assouli, president of
Democratic League for Women's Rights.
"It is unfortunately a recurring phenomenon,"
she said."We have been asking for years for the
cancellation of Article 475 of the penal code which
allows the rapist to escape justice."
The victim's father said in an interview with an online
Moroccan newspaper that it was the court officials who
suggested from the beginning the marriage option when
they reported the rape.
"The prosecutor advised my daughter to marry, he
said 'go and make the marriage contract,'" said
Lahcen Filali in an interview that appeared on goud.ma
Tuesday night.
In many societies, the loss of a woman's virginity
outside of wedlock is a huge stain of honor on the
family.
In many parts of the Middle East, there is a tradition
whereby a rapist can escape prosecution if he marries his
victim, thereby restoring her honor. There is a similar
injunction in the Old Testament's Book of Deuteronomy
Morocco updated its family code in 2004 in a landmark
improvement of the situation of women, but activists say
there's still room for improvement.
In cases of rape, the burden of proof is often on the
victim and if she can't prove she was attacked, a woman
risks being prosecuted for debauchery.
"In Morocco, the law protects public morality but
not the individual," said Assouli, adding that
legislation outlawing all forms of violence against
women, including rape within marriage, has been stuck in
the government since 2006.
According to the father's interview, the girl was
accosted on the street and raped when she was 15, but it
was two months before she told her parents.
He said the court pushed the marriage, even though the
perpetrator initially refused. He only consented when
faced with prosecution. The penalty for rape is between
five and 10 years in prison, but rises to 10 to 20 in the
case of a minor.
Filali said Amina complained to her mother that her
husband was beating her repeatedly during the five months
of marriage but that her mother counseled patience.
A Facebook page called "We are all Amina
Filali" has been formed and an online petition
calling for Morocco to end the practice of marrying
rapists and their victims has already gathered more than
1,000 signatures.
From: nydailynews.com/news/national/teen-sues-school-staff-members-announce-pregnancy-a-school-assembly-article-1.1035311
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