Share

Moroccans mobilise for 'gang-raped' teen

Hundreds of Moroccans have signed a petition urging authorities to provide urgent medical and psychological care to a teenage girl who says she was gang-raped.

Khadija Okkarou, in a video posted online on Tuesday, said she was abducted in mid-June outside the home of a relative in central Morocco by young men alleged to belong to a "dangerous gang".

"They held me for about two months, and raped and tortured me," the 17-year-old said, showing what appeared to be scars from cigarette burns and tattoos carved into parts of her body.

"I will never forgive them. They have destroyed me," she said.

* Sign up to News24's top Africa news in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TO THE HELLO AFRICA NEWSLETTER

FOLLOW News24 Africa on Twitter and Facebook

Her testimony has sparked anger in Morocco with social media users launching the "we are all Khadija" hashtag and a petition urging King Mohammed VI to provide her with medical and psychological care.

More than 3 400 people had signed the petition by Sunday night.

The girl's father, Mohammed Okkarou, said three suspects had been arrested on Saturday in connection with her abduction and that a trial was set to begin on September 6.

Naima Ouahli, of the Moroccan Association of Human Rights, told AFP that a total of 12 suspects had been rounded up.

Moroccan authorities were not immediately available for comment.

Sexual harassment is commonplace in Morocco, despite the adoption of a new constitution in 2011 that enshrines gender equality and urges the state to promote it.

And in January 2014, Morocco scrapped a controversial law that allowed child rapists to escape punishment if they marry their victims.

Last year 1 600 cases of rape were heard by Moroccan courts, twice as many as previous years.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do airplane mishaps have any effect on which airline you book your flights with?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, these things happen. I pick based on price
49% - 518 votes
Yes, my safety matters. I don't take any chances
51% - 542 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.11
+0.4%
Rand - Pound
23.80
-0.4%
Rand - Euro
20.46
-0.0%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.40
-0.2%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.4%
Platinum
920.40
-1.1%
Palladium
1,026.50
+1.1%
Gold
2,322.61
-0.2%
Silver
27.34
+0.6%
Brent Crude
87.00
-0.3%
Top 40
68,051
+0.8%
All Share
74,011
+0.6%
Resource 10
59,613
-2.2%
Industrial 25
102,806
+1.7%
Financial 15
15,897
+1.8%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE