Rabat – In Morocco, sexual harassment remains a pervasive issue that disproportionately affecting women and girls. Many young girls experience harassment from an early age, including in educational settings.
A recent thematic report from the Higher Council for Education, Training, and Scientific Research has revealed concerning statistics regarding sexual harassment among female students in Morocco. According to the report, 30.3% of female students in primary schools reported experiencing sexual harassment.
This issue is particularly acute among girls in secondary education, where 10.4% in middle schools and 14.6% in high schools have been victims of coercive sexual relationships.
The report said that most reported harassment cases against students involve male students as perpetrators, with 66.3% of primary students identifying male peers as aggressors, while 22.1% identified girls as perpetrators.
This trend continues into secondary education, where 70% of students identified boys as the aggressors, with only 18% citing girls.
A significant number of students have encountered inappropriate behavior from teachers, with 5.1% of primary school students and 18.7% of secondary school students witnessing sexual harassment by educators.
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Several cases of sexual harassment at the hands of teachers have come to light in Morocco in recent years. In September 2023, a teacher from Lycee Descartes in Rabat was fired after being accused of sexual abuse against a 14-year-old student.
In 2022, a high school teacher was arrested in Tetouan after a student accused him of sexual harassment. The teacher allegedly harassed several other students who could not speak up out of fear.
The Council noted that sexual violence in schools extends beyond overtly sexual behaviors to include inappropriate comments, jokes, and gestures that imply sexual content. While these behaviors may appear minor or indirect, they contribute significantly to creating a harmful and toxic environment.
In addition to physical harassment, the report addressed the growing issue of digital violence in schools. This includes online harassment, hate speech, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, and the creation of fake accounts to harm others. The report observed significant differences between genders regarding the types of digital violence experienced.
Boys were found to have slightly greater access to electronic devices, with 16.3% owning smartphones or computers compared to 14.9% of girls. This discrepancy suggests that boys may have more opportunities to access the internet, potentially increasing their exposure to certain types of digital violence.
