Belgian Court Convicts Man of Forced Marriage and Rape in Immigrant Abuse Case

It was in 2020 that Saïd A., a man in his forties, returned from Morocco with his wife. As soon as he arrived, he confiscated her cell phone and passport, condemning her to a hidden life, far from everyone and rarely leaving the house. She, who had only known her village in Morocco since birth, found herself in unknown territory, at the mercy of her husband and in-laws in the "house of horror" in Schaerbeek, reports Sudinfo.

Sequestered and raped for a month, she owes her salvation to one of her cousins who raised the alarm about the drama the young woman is living through in April 2020. Taking advantage of one of her rare moments of freedom, she sent a letter to her cousin living in Spain recounting her life alongside her husband.

Alerted, police officers were dispatched to the scene. They met the defendant’s mother, and then the young woman who only understood Arabic. With the help of an interpreter, the young woman was able to confide in her ordeal, the repeated rapes, her sequestration. Saïd A. was arrested and sentenced to four years in prison with probation.

During his indictment, the public prosecutor, while condemning the "horror" the young woman went through, pointed out that Saïd A. has the excuse of not having gone against his wife’s will. But for the court, it is impossible for a woman to accept this kind of treatment. Given the contradictions in the defendant’s statements and the results of the medical tests carried out on his wife, the court is convinced of the victim’s sincerity.

Seeing the noose tightening around him, Saïd A. pleaded for acquittal, to no avail. "Your conception of women is just unacceptable. Until you understand that your wife does not belong to you, that she is not an object, then you risk finding yourself in court again," commented the judge of the 54th chamber of the Brussels correctional court.