Moroccan Lawmaker Raises Alarm on Domestic Violence Against Men

The issue of violence against men is a concern for Aziza Boujrida. While questions of violence against women receive considerable attention, violence against men is also a growing phenomenon in Moroccan society, she points out in a written question addressed to the Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family, Naïma Ben Yahya. To support her argument, she reports that some studies indicate that many men suffer from violence in various forms, whether physical, psychological or economic. These male victims of violence often face a social culture that prevents them from expressing their suffering or asking for help, notes the deputy.

Faced with this gloomy picture, Aziza Boujrida questions the minister on the measures the government intends to take to fight the phenomenon of violence against men and guarantee the protection of the rights of victims. She also wondered if the government, and in particular the ministry concerned, was considering opening the debate on this issue, like the discussions around violence against women, and launching awareness campaigns to make this phenomenon known and propose solutions. The parliamentarian also seeks to know if the ministry plans to fight violence against men and husbands through laws, in order to repress illegal practices against them.

Violence against Moroccan men takes various forms and manifests itself in different ways, ranging from beatings and humiliation in front of children or the family circle, to the deprivation of their legitimate and marital rights, specified the Moroccan Association for the Defense of the Rights of Men Victims of Domestic Violence. While some wives resort to witchcraft to deprive their husband of his will, others exploit the laws protecting women to file malicious complaints against their husbands. In 2017, there were 3 or 7 men victims of domestic violence who sought help from the association each month. But this number has risen steadily after the association acquired a vehicle on which it has affixed stickers to promote its objectives and the numbers to contact for its support and assistance.

More than 18,000 victims, or an average of 1,000 cases per month since last June, have sought help from the association during the Covid-19 pandemic, its president had meanwhile specified.