dārgie marokāņi, what the hell?

Days ago, 16 year-old Amina Filali, raped, beaten and forced to wed her rapist, killed herself -- the only way she saw to escape the trap set for her by her rapist and the law. Article 475 in Morocco’s penal code allows a rapist to avoid prosecution and a long prison sentence by marrying his victim if she is a minor. When Amina was brutally raped, her family reported it to officials in their town of Larache. Instead of prosecuting the rapist, the court allowed him the option of marrying his victim-- and Amina's family agreed to the proposal.

Since 2006, the government has promised to strike this down and pass legislation prohibiting violence against women, but it hasn't happened.