54.4%, Prevalence Rate of Violence against Women in Morocco (Survey)

Preliminary results of the second national survey on the prevalence of violence against women, presented Tuesday in Rabat, showed that the prevalence rate of violence against women is 54.4% at the national level.

The prevalence rate of violence against women in urban areas is 55.8%, while in rural areas it has reached 51.6%, according to the results of this survey, conducted in the 12 regions of the Kingdom between 2 January and 10 March 2019.

Presented by minister of Family, Solidarity, Equality and Social Development, Bassima Hakkaoui, this survey notes that the most vulnerable age groups are women aged 25 to 29 (59.8%).

Violence in the matrimonial context has the highest prevalence rates, according to the same source, adding that 54.4% of fiancées and 52.5% of married women have been victims of violence at the national level.

Regarding violence in public places, 12.4% of Moroccan women aged 18 to 64 years have been subjected to violence. The percentage of female victims varies between urban and rural areas; women in rural areas, particularly in married life, are more exposed to violence, with 19.6%, compared to 16.9% for women in urban areas.

As for electronic violence, 13.4% of women reported that they had been victims of this type of violence. According to the data obtained, young girls are more vulnerable to electronic violence. Similarly, harassment accounts for 71.2% of cyber violence.

Regarding the actions taken by women after being exposed to violence, Hakkaoui indicated that silence is one of the factors that aggravates the tragedy of abused women, noting that the proportion of women who have addressed an individual or institution is 28.2%, of whom urban women represent 31.7% and rural women 20.9%.

The percentage of abused women who have filed a complaint against their abuser is 6.6%, she said, noting that urban women represent 7.7%, compared to 4.2% for rural women.

MAP 15 mai 2019