Transgender Woman Assaulted in Tangier Speaks Out About Attack

That night, "Haïfa" was getting out of a taxi with two friends when she was attacked. "A young man snatched the cap of one of my friends and threw it to his friends. They started throwing the cap at each other, mocking my friend. I then intervened to ask them to return his cap. And that’s when they started beating me and insulting me. The two boys who were with me ran away, and I was left alone in the middle of this crowd that was beating me," she recounts to the editors of France 24 Observers.

The victim says she defended herself as best she could, but the punches and kicks did not stop. "Someone threw thinner in my face, I could no longer see. Another one hit me several times in the head with a hard object, I think it was the handle of a knife." She finally found refuge in a nearby nightclub. "The bouncers protected me, they prevented the attackers from entering. The police then arrived and asked me if I wanted to file a complaint. But I didn’t want to go to the police station, dressed as I was, I didn’t feel reassured."

The next day, "Haïfa" says she discovered that the attack had been filmed and that the video was everywhere on social media. "I was shocked, because my face is visible in the video and I’m afraid of my parents’ reaction." Since the attack, she has been in poor health. "I have bumps all over my head and my back is covered in bruises. I went to the hospital to get treated, and the doctor gave me 25 days off work."

Contacted by the police who informed her on Monday, November 14, that they had arrested several suspects, the victim went to the central police station in Tanger to identify them and file a complaint against them. Immediately afterwards, she received the support of LGBT activists. "A friend contacted LGBT activists and NGOs to alert them to my assault. These NGOs provided me with legal aid, I am now supported by five lawyers. I didn’t sleep for two days. I’m still in shock, I’m still having trouble talking about it," adds "Haïfa".