Morocco: 70% of Men Report Violence, Study Reveals

According to a study by the High Commission for Planning (HCP) in Morocco, 70% of men reported experiencing at least one act of violence during their lives. The data further revealed that more than four out of ten men faced such incidents within the twelve months preceding the research.

Prevalence of Domestic Abuse

The domestic sphere emerged as the most violent environment, with 31% of men reporting abuse from wives, ex-wives, fiancées, or intimate partners. Psychological violence accounted for 73% of these cases, while physical acts comprised 20%. Sexual and economic violence represented smaller shares, recorded at 4% and 3% respectively.

Documented Cases and Legal Gaps

The Moroccan Association for the Defense of Fathers' and Children's Rights documented approximately 1,500 cases of violence against men over three years. These incidents included beating, injury, insults, defamation, blackmail, and the use of children as leverage against fathers.

Moroccan lawyer Abdel Aziz Khalil stated that national legislation lacks a specific law combating violence against men, unlike Law 103.13 which addresses violence against women. Consequently, cases involving male victims fall under general provisions of the Penal Code. Khalil identified proof as the primary challenge, particularly for psychological and moral violence, urging an expansion of legal definitions and the adoption of certified medical and psychological mechanisms to strengthen evidence.

Sociological Perspectives on Gender Violence

Sociologist Abdessamad Dialmy argued that female-perpetrated violence against men does not constitute a social phenomenon, describing it largely as psychological or individual reactions. He contrasted this with violence against women, which he characterized as structural and based on gender dynamics.

Ghizlane Mamouni, president of the association "How Mama How Papa," called for avoiding equivalence between the two situations. She noted that 94% of violence suffered by men is psychological, whereas violence against women frequently takes severe physical and sexual forms.

Demands for Custody and Visitation Rights

Fathers and advocacy groups demanded substantive equality in custody, alimony, and guardianship rights. They insisted on strict legal application to guarantee fathers' visitation rights, emphasizing that the child's best interest requires maintaining relationships with both parents after divorce.

Lawyer Khalil explained that the Moroccan Penal Code authorizes criminal penalties, including imprisonment, against custodians who deliberately refuse to enforce visitation rulings or use the child as a tool for blackmail.