OGBV

This interview just shows the sad reality as the case of Loubna is not an isolated one. Her ex-fiancé posted intimate photos of her on social media because she left him. Of course she is the one who felt “guilty”, her family ostracized her and she had to quit his job. The big issue is that in Morocco relationships outside of marriage are punished by article 490 of the penal code, although there is a law protecting in case of harassment (including cyber harassment), Loubna almost faced jail time.

Houda shares her motivation and goal behind the creation of Diha Frassek. She mentions how the idea came into realization and how the movement went viral, gained support from influencers, the press and the younger generations. She also shared her experience with assisting victims of OGBV and the ultimate goal of ending stigmas surrounding victim blaming in Morocco. It was very interesting to listen to this podcast because we learn about grassroots feminist work, and that most victims don’t know their rights, and even if they do, they are too scared to be “dishonored” by the family.

During the month of Ramadan and because of the pandemic/quarantine (I guess some people were so bored they wanted to harm others), there has been a raise in sharing nonconsensual images by both former intimate partners and strangers. Many instagram pages were created just to share images of young women and girls. Many of the victims, often underaged have been touched by it which undoubtedly affected their mental health (many had suicidal thoughts).