鈥淚 always feared the police. You hear stories of women going to the police station to report their violent husbands and they get told 鈥榶ou deserve it鈥�. Then she must wait in a room full of men, feeling vulnerable and misjudged. On the way to the police station, I was terrified. After what I went through, the last thing I wanted was to feel embarrassed, ridiculed or humiliated,鈥� recalls鈥� Amina*, a survivor of violence in Morocco.鈥�
Though Morocco adopted a law in 2018 criminalizing physical, psychological, sexual and economic violence against women in private and public spheres, most instances still go unreported: only鈥�1 in 10 women鈥痚xperiencing violence lodges a complaint with the police or other authorities. In cases of domestic violence, the numbers drop even further.听听
Through an ongoing partnership between the General Directorate of National Security and UN Women, carried out with funding and support from the Government of Canada, Morocco is working to improve police and justice services for survivors of gender-based violence鈥攑art of a larger effort to protect and strengthen women鈥檚 rights in the country.听听
Transforming initial contact with police
When police provide survivor-centred and trauma-informed service, it helps ensure the survivor鈥檚 safety and minimize her risk of victimization. One survivor鈥檚 positive initial contact experience with the justice system can also encourage other survivors to go to the police.听听
It was with these outcomes in mind that the General Directorate of National Security, supported by UN Women, began rethinking their handling of gender-based violence. In 2018, they restructured the Police Units for Women Victims of Violence in all 132 principal police stations across the country, designating a focal point in each of the 440 district police stations to refer survivors to the nearest unit.听 听
As an initial contact point, the Units are designed to make survivors feel heard and protected, as well as to record and refer their cases. Each Unit is staffed with a trained police chief and a police officer whose job it is to demonstrate the police force鈥檚 commitment to the survivor鈥檚 well-being, and support their path to justice without discrimination, bias or pre-judgement.听
鈥淚t takes a lot of determination and courage for women to ask the police for support. Our role is to give survivors all the time they need to feel safe and comfortable, and for them to trust us enough to tell their story,鈥濃�痚xplains Police Chief Saliha Najeh. Chiefs of the Police Units for Women Victims of Violence are appointed on their merits and sensitivity to the issue. They receive training from UN Women on survivor-centered approaches and international norms and standards for police handling of such cases.听
鈥淥n the way to the police station, I was afraid that they would ignore me and that they wouldn鈥檛 believe me,鈥濃�痵ays Layla*, who was abused, pregnant and unmarried鈥痺hen she sought help. Her fears were compounded by the fact that sexual relations outside of marriage are illegal in Morocco.听听
鈥淏ut when I arrived, I was warmly welcomed. The first thing she told me was that there is a solution to everything. I will never forget that. It has become my motto in life. Her words encouraged me to tell her the whole story,鈥� says Layla. 鈥淎t the time, I felt insecure, unsafe, and that my life was over, but meeting her made me realize that I still have a chance to get my life back.鈥澨�
The experience made Layla feel less alone: 鈥淎fter contacting the police unit, I felt empowered and, most of all, supported. It felt so good to be surrounded by caring people.鈥� The unit later referred Layla to a shelter for single mothers, which enabled her to complete her higher education while taking care of her child.鈥�
Putting survivor-centred approaches at the heart of policing and justice services
Building on the success of the restructured Police Units, the General Directorate of National Security and UN Women also developed a toolkit, funded by the Government of Canada, to train the entire police sector on survivor-centered approaches.鈥�
Samia el Hamdaoui, a Deputy Public Prosecutor, was one of 45 participants who attended a training in 2019. 鈥淚t is impossible to walk out of the training the same way you walked in. When the views you have on certain issues change, it impacts the whole process of caring for women who have experienced violence,鈥� says Samia. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned that being an active listener and showing empathy helps survivors, and ultimately our efforts to provide support for them.鈥濃��
Now, 30 Police Chiefs of Units for Women Victims of Violence are equipped to provide these trainings to police at all levels. Put to the test during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Units for continued operation and service delivery for survivors of violence throughout the crisis. So did the courts: a 24-hour helpline was established that allowed survivors to report cases, and each court became available online, enabling women to declare and file a complaint without having to physically travel.听
In 2021, in partnership with UNODC and the International Association of Women Police (IAWP), UN Women developed a鈥疕andbook on Gender-Responsive Police Services for Women and Girls Subject to Violence.鈥齌argeting police middle managers and first responders across the region, the Handbook鈥痝ives practical, in-depth guidance on how to respond during crises such as鈥痶he COVID-19 pandemic; how to prevent violence against women and girls in conflict settings; and how to tackle violence online.听
Despite its pervasiveness, violence against women is preventable. This 16 Days, we鈥檙e highlighting the programmes and initiatives making a difference in the lives of women and girls worldwide. Through education, advocacy, service provision and more, UN Women and partners are working to support survivors, bring perpetrators to justice and end gender-based violence once and for all. These impact stories prove that a better future is not only possible鈥攊t鈥檚 already being built.听
The听Regional Flagship Programme to address Violence Against Women and Girls in the Arab States, developed by UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP, UNODC and WHO, is working to bridge research with policy recommendations, provide guidance to adapt international standards in service provision to the region, and strengthen interagency collaboration in areas such as prevention.听
Originally published on UN Women's regional Arab States website
* Name and personal information have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals听
