María Aguilar Halak, a 35-year-old dancer from Neuquén, Argentina, has been enduring a harrowing experience for the past four months in Morocco. Facing a daunting challenge, she is urgently trying to raise 3 million pesos to cover her ticket back home. What initially started as a promising job opportunity abroad has turned into a nightmare for María, who has dedicated years to her craft, performing in various countries around the globe.
In a heartfelt video shared on her Instagram account, María opened up about her plight, revealing that she fell victim to a scam, suffered gender-based violence, and now finds herself unable to work due to a severe injury sustained on the job. In her conversation with LM Neuquén, she recounted how she arrived in Morocco in early March this year, believing that it would be another stepping stone in her already impressive career that has taken her to over 20 countries.
However, her life took a drastic turn when, just a few months into her stay, she faced a series of unfortunate events. After sustaining an injury during a performance, her employer ceased to pay her salary. In an attempt to start anew in a different city, she encountered a man who, as she reported, deceived her, stole her money, and subjected her to both physical and psychological abuse.
Now stranded in Marrakech, María is left without any source of income, grappling with a debilitating spinal injury that prevents her from dancing, and entangled in a legal battle. Despite the Argentine Embassy being informed of her situation, the bureaucratic and judicial processes are hindering her immediate return. Consequently, she has turned to social media to seek financial assistance to purchase a ticket back to Neuquén.
A Workplace Accident and Injury Plaguing Her Career
María detailed that her ordeal began while she was performing as a dancer in a coastal city in Morocco. "I had a workplace accident that prevented me from continuing my job," she explained to LM Neuquén, adding that her life began to spiral downward when her employer refused to pay her. The accident occurred during a performance when she stepped on a burning piece of coal that had fallen to the ground, resulting in a serious spinal injury.
"The last two lumbar discs, L5 and S1, were disintegrated. I had to undergo injections, and now I need surgery to recover," she stated. Unable to continue her work and without receiving her due salary, María decided to move to Marrakech, where she hoped to find a fresh start. There, she met a man from the Muslim community, a faith they both share, and began a relationship that would soon turn into another nightmare.
A Broken Promise and a Desperate Plea for Help
María recounted how the man claimed to be a doctor and proposed marriage, asking her to rent an apartment for their new life together. "He told me he was a doctor, later claiming to be an anesthetist. He started sharing tragic stories about sick family members to ask for money. I trusted him because we shared the same religion," she explained. Ultimately, she ended up covering all the expenses of their relationship until the situation escalated into violence.
She vividly recalled the first incident, which occurred when she refused to engage in unprotected relations. "He slapped me and said that in Morocco, such things were normal, and that the man is the one who commands," she remembered. María reported the incidents to the Moroccan police, who issued a restraining order against him, but he violated it just days later, leading to further physical assault.
In addition to the emotional and physical abuse, María alleged that the man stole approximately 4,000 euros from her, which she had set aside for rent, medical treatments, and other expenses during her time in Morocco.
Currently, María lives in fear, having moved to avoid further attacks. She insists she cannot work due to her spinal injury and has reiterated that while the Argentine Embassy is aware of her circumstances, her return hinges on raising the necessary funds for her ticket.
"All I want is to go back home. I need to gather around three million pesos to buy the ticket because I truly feel afraid and am in an unsafe place," she expressed in her social media video, emphasizing her decision to publicly share her story: "I don’t want to be another statistic. I can no longer remain silent about this situation." For those wishing to assist her, contributions can be made via Mercado Pago at the alias: multimediahoy or through PayPal at @mariahalak.
As reported by lmneuquen.com.
