Prostitution in Morocco

Although prostitution in Morocco has been illegal since the 1970s[1] it is widespread. In 2015 the Moroccan Health Ministry estimated there were 50,000 prostitutes in Morocco, the majority in the Marrakech area.[2] Prostitutes tend to be Moroccan women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds as well as migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, many of whom are victims of human trafficking [3] UNAIDS estimated the figure at 75,000 in 2016.[4]

Many children are vulnerable as adoption laws in Morocco are very rigid and difficult. Morocco's increasing reputation for attracting foreign pedophiles made it sign various international treaties to deal with the problem.[5][6][7][8][9][10] Male prostitution exists but is stigmatised.[11] Health services for Moroccan sex workers include OPALS, an organisation promoting treatments for HIV/AIDS.[8][12][13][14]

Traditionally, women's roles in North African society have been rigidly defined, particularly so with increasing Islamification. Yet the economic and social realities often provide few alternatives to many Moroccan women, and the area has increasingly been seen as permissive to prostitution.[15]

  1. ^ "2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Morocco". United States Department of State. 2008-03-11. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  2. ^ "French Documentary Shows Life of Two Moroccan Prostitutes". Morocco World News. 2016-06-22. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  3. ^ "2016 Trafficking in Persons Report". Refworld: UN High Commission on Refugees. 2016-06-30. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  4. ^ "Sex workers: Population size estimate - Number, 2016". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Prisoner pardon shows how much Morocco has changed | The National". Thenational.ae. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  6. ^ Worldcrunch.com (2012-10-05). "After Bangkok, Marrakesh Forced To Face Plague Of Sex Tourism". Worldcrunch.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  7. ^ Tennent, James (2013-09-03). "Is Morocco the Latest Haven for European Paedophiles? | VICE | United Kingdom". Vice.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  8. ^ a b Binoual, Imrane; Touahri, Sarah (27 November 2008). "New report addresses causes of sex tourism in Morocco". Magharebia. United States Africa Command. Archived from the original on 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  9. ^ "Morocco Clamps Down On Sex Tourism". Archived from the original on 2007-09-19.
  10. ^ "streetlife". BBC World Service. 2000-07-01. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  11. ^ Boushaba A, Imane L, Tawil O, Himmich H. "Study of the characteristics of male prostitution in Morocco and development of appropriate HIV/AIDS prevention strategies". Gateway.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  12. ^ "Moroccan prostitutes focus of controversial AIDS education effort". Magharebia. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  13. ^ "Child Sex Tourism in Morocco". France 24. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  14. ^ "Morocco – Travel". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  15. ^ Bernhard Venema & Jogien Bakker (2004). "A Permissive Zone for Prostitution in the Middle Atlas of Morocco". Ethnology. 43 (1): 51–64. doi:10.2307/3773855. JSTOR 3773855.