Have you experienced violence?

Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence committed against a person because of his or her sex or gender.

It can be forcing another person to do something against his or her will through physical or psychological violence, coercion, threats, deception, cultural expectations, or economic means.

Although the majority of victims and survivors of GBV are girls and women, boys and men can also be harmed by GBV.

There are several forms that gender-based violence can take:

➡️ Sexual violence is any act, attempted or threatened, that is sexual in nature and carried out without the consent of the victim. Sexual violence includes rape, sexual abuse and harassment, exploitation, and forced prostitution. It can happen within marriages, especially when there is a lack of consent for sexual activity by one of the spouses.

Any sexual activity with a child (any person who has not yet completed 18 years of age) constitutes sexual violence. It has devastating effects on the development of the child involved, as well as on his or her physical and mental health.

➡️ Physical violence such as beating, punching, maiming and killing (with or without weapons) is often combined with non-violent forms of GBV, including emotional and psychological violence.

➡️ Emotional or psychological violence is non-sexual, verbal abuse that is insulting and degrading to the victim. This can include isolating a person from his or her friends and family.

➡️ Socio-economic violence, which excludes a person from participating in society. This includes the denial of access of the person to health services, education and work, and the denial of his or her civil, social, economic, cultural and political rights.

➡️ Domestic violence is any physical, sexual, psychological, verbal and economic violence between one person and another within the family. It may be committed by family members and/or people considered as family members, whether or not they live in the same household.

➡️ Harmful practices include female circumcision, honour killings, polygamous marriages (marriages to more than one person), marriage of a child (any person who has not yet completed 18 years of age) and forced marriage (any marriage imposed against the will of a person).

• Child marriage: According to Moroccan law, the legal age of marriage is 18. Refugees wishing to marry in Morocco are subject to Moroccan law and procedures. Unofficial marriage with a child (any person who has not yet completed 18 years of age) is illegal, considered a crime, and punishable under Moroccan law.
• Polygamous marriage: Marriage to more than one person (polygamy) is conditioned in Morocco. The first wife should be notified of the intention to get married to another person.

All forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, forced marriage and child marriage, violate fundamental human rights and are punishable under the Moroccan Penal Code.

If you are exposed to any type of gender-based violence by a family member or a person from outside your family, or if you are an eyewitness to such violence, please remember that you have rights under Moroccan law. You should report violent incidents, whether directed at you or someone else, to the closest police station.

Reporting your situation will enable the relevant services to provide you with the appropriate support. Please see the services listed below to see what assistance may be most appropriate, and can be provided, for your individual situation.

➡️ Please remember that under Moroccan law, the Moroccan authorities are required to treat all complaints in strict confidentiality.

If your circumstances do not allow you to report a violent incident alone, you can approach UNHCR or its partners to obtain assistance.

UNHCR and its partners will guide you on the steps for complaining against the perpetrator. In line with the confidentiality principle, your personal information/situation will not be shared with third parties.

UNHCR and its partner offer:

• Legal counseling and assistance,
• Psychological and psychiatric counselling and assistance,
• Psycho-social counseling and assistance
• Facilitate safe and confidential referrals to other service providers such as medical care.
• Educational activities and counseling,
• Counselling on access to rights and services for persons with special needs.

Be aware that UNHCR and its partner organizations can provide you with the mentioned services. Additionally, UNHCR and its partner organizations may also provide you with the following services, after reviewing your request for assistance:

• Interpreter assistance for your medical and legal proceedings
• Home visit for social and financial assistance
• Case management
• Psycho-social support
• Financial assistance for Extremely Vulnerable Individuals
• Awareness sessions and activities
• Livelihood opportunities

You can contact UNHCR’s partner Fondation Orient-Occident based on your location:

➡️ Contact the closest FOO focal point from 9:00 to 17:00

• 📞 Rabat  +212 (0) 6 14 00 47 39/+212 (0) 6 14 00 47 73/+212 (0) 6 14 00 47 63
• 📞 Casablanca +212 (0) 6 14 00 47 54
• 📞 Fes/Meknes  +212 (0) 6 64 67 02 09
• 📞 Tangier/Tetouan +212 (0) 6 60 43 50 99
• 📞 Oriental (Oujda/Nador) +212 (0) 6 14 00 47 85
• 📞 Marrakech/Agadir +212 (0) 6 64 17 63 06

➡️ You can also contact UNHCR Protection Hotline on +212(0) 666 58 43 61

In case of physical or sexual assault, it is important to first contact the medical partner through the emergency number 📞+212 (0) 6 61 93 43 54 (seven days a week, 24 hours a day) to receive information about Post Exposure Prophylaxis and how to access it.

Also, inform Fondation Orient-Occident, a UNHCR partner that provides services and counselling for survivors of Gender-Based Violence.

The UNHCR Protection unit is available Wednesday from 9 to 11 in the Rabat office and through its hotlines 📞+212 (0)6 61 48 68 81 (on Fridays from 9 to 12)

• if you want to speak to a woman, call 📞+212 (0) 767 052043 (Mondays from 2 to 5 pm).