A sexual harassment scandal has shaken the British Council in Rabat, with the accused, (T.R.), being a high-ranking diplomatic official within the council. According to details revealed by the victim, a British national, she was subjected to blatant sexual harassment during her employment at the British Council in Rabat, with the perpetrator being the highest official in the council not only in Morocco but also in the wider Middle East and North Africa region.
In a statement from the victim’s lawyer following a ruling by the employment tribunal in East London, it was noted that the senior official frequently contacted the victim via WhatsApp, sending intimate and inappropriate photos accompanied by words of affection, despite being twice her age. Furthermore, the source reported that the harassment extended beyond text messages, as he also invaded the victim's home to leave a bouquet of flowers and tracked her movements wherever she went.
The East London employment tribunal found that the British Council in Morocco, which represents the British Kingdom, had failed to protect the victim, causing her significant harm that led her to resign under pressure after experiencing harassment and discrimination for filing complaints against her manager. The tribunal stated that the consulate favored (T.R.) over the victim.
The victim, who requested to remain anonymous and is referred to as (K.J.), expressed that the long wait for the outcome of her case against the British Council since February 2022 had real and direct repercussions on her personal and professional life, noting that her mental and psychological health had been greatly affected by the incident. She expressed disappointment after the council rejected her complaint and even erased digital evidence regarding her sexual harassment claim. She was shocked by the results of an internal investigation conducted by management at the time, which concluded that the senior official’s behavior, although inappropriate, did not rise to the level of sexual harassment despite the evidence she presented of unwanted physical contact and being followed by the official.
Following these disappointing results, the victim felt compelled to resign from her job, stating that her experiences during her time at the consulate turned her life upside down. K.J., who worked for the British Council between 2011 and 2021, hoped that what happened to her would not be repeated with other women in the workplace, considering the court's ruling against the British Council somewhat reassuring as she awaited the next session, which is expected to determine the compensation she will receive.
Additionally, the employment tribunal found that the British Council’s assessment was disappointing and lacked credibility, showing reluctance to classify the victim’s experiences as sexual harassment despite sufficient evidence of such behavior. The tribunal noted that the victim had to send an email to the harasser demanding that he cease his inappropriate actions after failing to convince him through WhatsApp messages.
