Daughter in Marrakech

[nowtherearethree]

My daughter is traveling around Marrakech by herself for a week seeing sights etc. she has booked into a backpackers hostel. I am very worried about her safety. Can anyone reassure me please

Dress modestly and keep her wits about her in busy areas, standard stuff - walk with confidence, keep your head up and don't pour over maps/phones in the middle of the street. I'm sure she'll have a blast, I'm pretty jealous tbh.

In my experience it's the larger groups that attract negative attention, one or two people just slip under the hassle radar, esp in crowded squares after dark. As an FYI the souk there is pretty good so no excuse for poor presents on her return!

Marrakech is not an unsafe city, in fact it is very touristy and it is really easy to get there from the airport! There are quite a few people who make money by taking you on 'tours' of the city. It's no unsafe, but they will waste your time and money taking you to see they say is really special and it's really not. Their spiel normally starts with 'how long have you been here' or 'when did you arrive'? My top tip is to say 'I live here' and they will leave you alone. There's lots of British and American people living in Marrakech so it's completely plausible that your daughter could be one of them. Also always haggle in the markets - it is expected!

Dress "modestly" - how easily it crept into the language, and all the woke snowflakes that see nothing wrong with that phrase. And others saying it's lovely and "safe" as if it's perfectly okay and safe being constantly ogled, harassed and propositioned too. Just "dress modestly."
Hope it isn't you that's paying for the trip.

The OP has a teenage daughter who has voluntarily chosen to visit a country with values and etiquette which differ from that of her own. I don’t think that right now would be the time to be encouraging that teenage daughter to behave and dress however she wants because women should be free to do whatever they like; because that’s going to put her in an unsafe position. When she returns home, and feels that campaigning for women’s rights in Morocco is something she’d like to get involved in, sure, she should fill her boots. Until then, offering assurance to a worried woman that the place her daughter is currently in isn’t unsafe in the wider scheme of things is positive advice.

To be honest you don’t need to dress that modestly in Marrakech, obviously she shouldn’t be walking around in a bikini top and hot pants but would she really on a uk highstreet? I’ve been there when it’s been nearing 50 degrees and I’ve been fine in normal vest and shorts or dresses, not all the women there choose to cover up from head to toe, the younger generation especially are starting to follow American influencers they see online.

I’m not saying staring doesn’t happen, but it’s much less in the cities where they’re used to tourists, and if she goes to the souks they will try and get her in their stores, but as long as she keeps saying no firmly she’ll be fine. It really doesn’t offend them.

How about respect the culture you are visiting. I really hope you aren’t gunning for any ambassador jobs in the near future.

She needs to remember to stay in public places, dress suitably and not drink the tap water, or have any ice in drinks, and choose hot food over salads (their sanitation and hygiene is not the same as what she will be used to. I went to Morocco and Tunisia alone for work and I found it fascinating, but a little awkward culturally - a lot of men heckling me for walking about alone. Fortunately wearing a wedding ring helped.

Exactly. If you don't like the culture, don't go. Don't think you can behave however you like just because you don't agree with their customs or religion: that could be asking for trouble.

Morocco is a Muslim country. Islamic teachings regarding modesty are addressed equally to women AND men.

People DO say this about Marrakesh. There's so much to do, look at all the excursions you can do. There ARE lots of excursions you can do because there isn't enough to do in Marrakesh, so why not spend a couple of hours on a bus going to Essaouria or the Atlas Mountains (with the obligatory shopping stops)? Like that's the solution. Both of those things are only fine anyway. If Marrakesh were close, people would realise it's only a weekend trip really.