16-year-old Amina Filali Who Was Forced To Marry Her Rapist, Commits Suicide



March 14, 2012 · By itsbits

16-year-old Amina committed suicide last Saturday after being forced to marry her rapist.

Under Moroccan law, any man who rapes a minor will be forgiven of all charges, as long as they marry their victim. Last year, Amina was walking the street when she was accosted and raped by a man who was 10 years her senior. When she finally reported the incident, their parents agreed to a marriage to protect her family honor.

After submitting to the marriage, Amina confided to her mother that she was subjected to violent beatings from her husband; her mom simply asked her to be more patient. As a final resort to escape her violent marriage, Amina ingested rat poison and ended her life.

With a huge public outrage, the victim’s father, Lahcen Filali told reporters that the marriage was suggested by the court officials, “The prosecutor advised my daughter to marry, he said ‘go and make the marriage contract.”

An online petition has been formed to call an end to Article 475 of the Moroccan code which reinforces the practice of marrying rapists and their victims.

I heard of this insane practice before. It's hard to believe in 2012 that this happens but it does. I am so sorry for the girl and how hopeless (among other things) she must have felt to see no way out except suicide. I will never travel to Morocco!