Moroccan Man Jailed in Spain for Sexual Abuse of Child Bride

The Moroccan married the minor in Morocco in 2016, before bringing her to Castellón where he resided. He forbade the minor to reveal their marriage and to present herself as his niece. The man thus forced the minor to do household chores and to sexually satisfy him.

This situation lasted until 2017, when the minor was placed under the guardianship of the Generalitat de Valencia, which suspected that she was a victim of alleged sexual assault and gender-based violence. At the trial held last November in the Castellón court, the minor indicated that according to the education she received, sex is a "right" of the husband and a "duty" of the wife.

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The defendant, for his part, denied having subjected the minor wife to ill-treatment or rape. "She was very afraid of her husband and always wanted to please others; she wanted to do the cleaning, cook and do other tasks even at the center," explained the director of the juvenile center where the victim was placed.

The psychologist who took care of the minor also testified at the trial, specifying that "these types of experiences seriously harm the victim and her sexuality." And to add: "She was a submissive, obedient girl, emotionally unstable, influenced by the history of her life." For its part, the defense of the Moroccan has announced that it will appeal the decision.