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Original poster

How safe is Morocco for a female traveller?

38 replies

blondiecurly · 07/11/2022 08:28

We are all in our late twenties and planning to go to Morocco next week on a 5-day trip. We consider ourselves pretty aware of the normal dangers of traveling. I heard a lot about how females are harassed by men there. It doesn’t sound like anything physically dangerous, more like extremely creepy, annoying, constant aggressive advances, or sexual harassment. I doubt it will be too hot, so we won't be roaming in very short dresses, but do you have any suggestions for what we should wear?

Does anyone have experience with this?

OP posts:

WanderingSouls · 07/11/2022 08:31

I’ve been to Morocco and didn’t have any issues at all. We wore loose trousers or long skirts and long sleeves.

love6421 · 07/11/2022 08:32

Friends of ours went and were hassled lots. I personally wouldn't visit a country where as a woman I was expected to cover up.

Midlifemusings · 07/11/2022 08:37

I didn't find it unsafe but there were men constantly coming up and hassling me for x or y or following me around or staring or just being somewhat obnoxious. Especially in the more populated and more touristy areas.

It was irritating but not unsafe.

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Holidays

RewildingAmbridge · 07/11/2022 08:39

I went with DH covered shoulders to ankles in loose clothing. Still got groped several times including once directly between the legs while I was using a cash point and DH was less than ten feet away. This was all in Marrakech.
We drove cross country I was not spoken to at all in small places but Essaouira was lovely and I was treated with the same respect etc as DH. I wouldn't go back to Marrakech at all and especially not in female only company.
It depends what you plan, my SIL went on a hen do but they started in an all inclusive resort on the Palmerie and that was fine, if you intend on wandering around the Medina keep your wits about you.
Having said that I got dragged into an alley in Turkey when I was about 19/20 by an old man, who was trying to drag me up some stairs muttering about sexy English girls (I was wearing knee length shorts and a t shirt fwiw) and i had to scream and a group of lads from our hotel intervened, and loads of people go there all the time.

Charlieiscool · 07/11/2022 08:40

You will get harassed if you don’t cover up and avoid eye contact with men. The bigger problem is the constant attempts to rip you off.

PurplePixies · 07/11/2022 08:54

I was on holiday there with DH in my thirties and got groped. I was looking at something on a stall in a busy market and an older man came up alongside me and just grabbed and squeezed my boob then ran off. I was angry afterwards that I didn't immediately wallop him but I was taken off guard. 🤬
My DH was about 10ft away and was totally oblivious. 😩
To be honest, after that experience I'd want to carry a taser with me.

Azerothi · 07/11/2022 08:57

I went with my 2 children about 15 years ago for a couple of days in port, so it may have changed for the worse but I was constantly sexually harassed as was my 15 year old daughter. We wore very modest clothing but it was unsafe and really spoilt the cruise, I think I was naive and expected to be treated better as I was spending money. I would never go back.

Original poster

blondiecurly · 07/11/2022 08:58

@PurplePixies I am sorry to hear that. That's disgusting.😟

OP posts:

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 07/11/2022 09:01

If you look up Eamon & Bec on YouTube, they are a Canadian couple who travelled in a van and spent a significant amount of time in Morocco. You'll need to scroll back over their videos as they came home to Canada when the pandemic hit. They went back late 2021 for a bit then have just gone back now to collect their van (they had to leave it in Morocco when they left for various reasons)

They talk about what it's like a lot and seem to have a real love for the place.

Original poster

blondiecurly · 07/11/2022 09:07

I'm starting to get little worried now. I expected some catcalling, but not physical harassment such as groping and touching. This is extreme for this time and age.

OP posts:

fedstool · 07/11/2022 09:08

My friend and I were hassled a lot despite dressing very modestly. We enjoyed it but wouldn't go back.

fedstool · 07/11/2022 09:09

This was only Marrakech

fedstool · 07/11/2022 09:11

I wasn't groped if it makes you feel better but some men were very aggressive which scared me & I don't easily scare.

Onceuponawhileago · 07/11/2022 09:13

Myself and my wife went and we would not go back. I felt it was unsafe, esp for her. Creepy men, lots of pushy behaviour. Go somewhere nicer.

WeepingSomnambulist · 07/11/2022 09:18

Is this a last minute trip? Have you had your vaccinations?

AnnaBegins · 07/11/2022 09:19

I'd definitely prefer Essaouira over Marrakesh. Lovely beach, great food, really friendly. Wasn't hassled, but I speak good french. I think Marrakesh is like many capital cities, you can see best and worst bits of a country.

kegofcoffee · 07/11/2022 09:32

I've travelled a lot and it's the place I've felt the least safe. And I wasn't alone.

I was harassed by men ALOT, and also attempted to be scammed out of money daily.

Also had occasions where men tried to scam me into dangerous situations by telling me I was going in the wrong direction towards somewhere unsafe or places were closed, and they'd help me.

On one of those occasions I'd just got out of a taxi that had dropped me off miles from where I'd asked to go. Some guy comes up to me and offers to save the day, says he wants to practise his English. I assume they were working together.

If they do go then 100% get a guide. I have friends that have done it that way and had better experiences.

Original poster

blondiecurly · 07/11/2022 09:35

@WeepingSomnambulist It was a last-minute trip, to be sure. It's the birthday of one of my friends. We were considering going to Paris for a couple of nights to celebrate. My other friend then suggested going to Morocco, specifically Marrakesh. Her parents had visited before the pandemic and enjoyed it. Covid and flu vaccinations are both done.

OP posts:

Appleblum · 07/11/2022 09:40

I went with DH and it was fine when we were together. However one afternoon I left him in the hotel and thought I'd go out for a walk by myself and it was the worst decision ever. I was harassed so much it felt like I was in a different country from just one hour before. I felt unsafe and it really soured the experience.

kegofcoffee · 07/11/2022 09:40

If it's already booked.

Look into get a guide, ideally one with a car.
Cover up, including arms.
Make sure you can use data on your phone (and have it in a case with a wrist strap).
Be prepared to be harassed.

Ideally you have a nice hotel that you don't feel the need to leave. I was there for 5 days and after 2 days decided I'd just stay at the hotel by the pool. Cos going out was so unenjoyable.

WeepingSomnambulist · 07/11/2022 09:41

@blondiecurly
Not covid and flu vaccinations. Your vaccines for Hepatitis A and tetanus. Also typhoid and rabies are recommend too.

SpringSparrow · 07/11/2022 09:42

We went as a day trip as part of a cruise on a coach trip with P and O and the guide on the trip was an older man, very lechorous and tried to touch my 16 year daughter. We were on a trip to visit a mosque and he took a detour to his friend’s shop and made us all get off the coach and sit in a back room of a pharmacy, got a woman to give a massage to one of the other passengers. The woman then said she had to go and get change and ran off with his money. No toilet facilities for women at the Mosque either and the guide was very sexist and lecherous. Lots of small children begging. I would never go back and neither would my daughter.

MegGriffinshat · 07/11/2022 10:20

It was years ago when I went - 2009.

Covered up but I was groped quite a few times in markets, even with exh. right next to me. I was leered at, spat at.

I travelled the world before that, all over asia mainly on my own and have never felt as unsafe as in Morocco. I wouldn’t have dared to go anywhere there without exh.

MegGriffinshat · 07/11/2022 10:21

It wasn’t only Marrakesh - we spent a month travelling Morocco.

maddy68 · 07/11/2022 10:24

I went with a girl friend. It was fine

If you go out get a tour guide. They ward off the sellers (who are the biggest problem)

Not sure I would wander by myself at night. We were in a a lovely holiday complex so stayed there

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