NGO ATEC Warns of Growing Online Bullying Against Women, Girls in Morocco
In a statement on Monday, the association expressed its 'deep concern' about the situation, describing bullying as a form of digital crime that is increasingly being perpetrated through online spaces and platforms.
'Over the past few months, this phenomenon has become one of the most widespread and socially tolerated practices among users of social media and digital networks,' the NGO wrote, saying that similar acts remain decriminalized.
The NGO warned of the dangerous consequences associated with such acts, stressing that bullying could lead to suicide attempts as a desperate response to injustice.
It also warned of the absence of legal regulation around bullying, citing practices that affect women and girls, such as the sharing of photos or videos of individuals alongside offensive remarks.
These practices often fall short of the legal threshold for defamation or insult, it said, recalling its appeal for the adoption of a draft law targeting digital violence against women and girls online.
The need to criminalize bullying
The association deemed initiatives seeking to amend Law 103.13 as insufficient, particularly in light of behaviors that threaten the fundamental right to life. Law 103.13, which was enacted in 2018, is part of Morocco's efforts to combat gender-based violence. It seeks to address critical issues affecting women's safety and well-being.
However, the law faced criticism from rights groups, particularly women, for falling short of tackling gender-based violence effectively.
The NGO urged executive authorities to update the legal framework by pushing for a clear legislative framework that criminalizes bullying alongside other forms of digital crime.
Morocco has been pledging to strengthen legislation to combat in-person and digital crimes like bullying.
Last year, Morocco's Ministry of Education announced a training program seeking to help teachers with the know-how to address cyberbullying and bullying in Moroccan schools.
In March this year, Morocco's High Commission for Planning (HCP) said that cyberviolence affected at least 282,000 victims, with a prevalence rate of 29.4%. The data compiles statistics from key findings from a 2019 survey on violence against young girls in Morocco. Tags: bullyingCyberbullying
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