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Nearly 25% of Moroccans justify wife beating, Afrobarometer reveals
A recent Afrobarometer study has found that nearly 24% of Moroccans believe it is “sometimes” or “always” justifiable for a man to beat his wife. This places Morocco at a moderate level of acceptance compared to other African nations, where support for intimate partner violence averages 28%.
According to the study, entitled Exposure to Violent Conflict and Attitudes Toward Wife Beating in Africa, Morocco ranks well below countries like Gabon (67%), Guinea (63%), and Congo-Brazzaville (61%) but still highlights the persistence of patriarchal attitudes. Cabo Verde (3%), Madagascar (6%), and Malawi (6%) reported the lowest levels of support for domestic violence.
Key findings and conflict correlation
The study, authored by independent researcher Daniel Tuki, analyzed data from nearly 100,000 respondents across 39 African countries between 2016 and 2023. It revealed a surprising trend: individuals living in regions with higher incidents of violent conflict were less likely to support wife beating. Tuki suggests that exposure to violence may lead people to reject such behavior due to their firsthand understanding of its devastating effects.
Socioeconomic factors also play a role in shaping attitudes. Higher education levels are associated with less support for wife beating, while poverty, unemployment, and rural residency tend to increase its acceptance. Gender differences were also notable, with 32% of men and 27% of women in Africa endorsing the practice.
The research challenges earlier assumptions that conflict exposure increases support for domestic violence, suggesting instead that peace-building programs in conflict-affected areas may contribute to stronger opposition to violent behavior.
Violence against women in Morocco
In Morocco, violence against women remains a pressing issue. A 2019 survey by the High Commission for Planning (HCP) revealed that 57% of Moroccan women aged 15 to 74—over 7.6 million individuals—had experienced some form of violence in the previous year. Psychological abuse was the most common, followed by physical, sexual, and economic violence. Alarmingly, nearly 46% of women reported abuse by a partner or ex-partner.
Despite legal reforms like the adoption of Law 103-13 in 2018, which introduced protective mechanisms and criminalized new forms of abuse, the societal stigma surrounding domestic violence remains a barrier. Only 10% of survivors report incidents to authorities, reflecting cultural norms that often discourage women from seeking justice.
Legal and cultural challenges
Morocco has made significant strides in addressing gender-based violence. The 2011 Constitution enshrined equality between men and women, while international commitments like the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) have reinforced the country’s legal framework. Domestically, reforms to the Family Code (Moudawana) in 2004 and ongoing updates since 2023 aim to expand women’s rights further.
However, enforcement gaps, limited funding for shelters, and cultural resistance hinder progress. Marital rape is still not explicitly criminalized, and judicial exceptions for child marriage continue to undermine broader protections.
A societal issue in need of change
The Afrobarometer findings highlight the deep-rooted societal and institutional barriers to addressing intimate partner violence in Morocco and across Africa. While legislative reforms are crucial, they must be paired with cultural shifts to dismantle patriarchal norms and foster widespread rejection of domestic violence.
For Morocco, the fight against violence is not only a legal battle but also a challenge to centuries-old social attitudes, requiring collective effort from policymakers, activists, and communities alike.