Trends in Violence Against Women in Morocco: An Analysis of National Surveys from 2009 to 2020

Violence Against Women (VAW) remains a significant challenge in Morocco despite major advances in legislative framework and policy initiatives. ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the trends of VAW in Morocco including its forms, contexts in which it occurs and the socio-demographic characteristics of victims over a 10-year period from 2009 to 2020. MethodsWe conducted an online search for official publicly available, open access national reports and surveys about VAW in Morocco, published in the period between 2009-2020. We identified Five official reports. We collected data on prevalence of VAW, profiles of the victims, its forms and contexts. ResultsFrom 2009 to 2020, the overall prevalence of VAW has consistently exceeded the 50% mark with 62.80% in 2009 vs 58.2% in 2020. Although it has seen a decrease, the highest prevalence of VAW was reported among married females belonging to younger age groups, with high levels of education 75.3% in 2009 vs 62.7% in 2019. Intimate partner violence, both marital and extra-marital was the most common context where VAW occurred across the ten-year period (55% and 47.4% in 2009 respectively vs 52,5% for marital violence in 2020 and 27.7% for extra marital violence in 2019). Marital or spousal violence ranged from 38.4% among non-single women to more than 80% among victims admitted to integrated care units in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Psychological violence stood out as the most common form of violence across the years, while violence in public spaces has seen a steady decrease over the years. Electronic or cyber violence was only studied in one survey and was estimated at 4.5%. ConclusionDespite legislative advancements, VAW remains a complex issue in Morocco, with significant prevalence requiring sustained efforts to address this issue comprehensively. Education and empowerment initiatives, alongside strengthening the implementation of the law and addressing barriers to reporting, are crucial for combating VAW effectively in Morocco.