Moroccan Singer Faces Backlash Over Comments Advocating Violence Against Women

"He who does not beat his wife is not a man." This is one of the statements made by Moroccan singer Adil El Miloudi on Chada TV last June.

The television channel, 2M, notes that the singer did not stop there, as he also claimed that he is in the habit of hitting his wife and that this is natural, according to him.

According to the media, Adil El Miloudi’s "unhealthy" comments have outraged Moroccan women’s associations, who find them unacceptable, not to mention the many other networks of civil society actors who have been shocked by these remarks that tarnish Morocco’s image. They indicate that they have crossed borders as they have been relayed by several foreign media, particularly French.

Outraged by the singer’s attitude, several members of associations fighting violence against women have taken the floor. "These remarks trivialize violence against women, splash our image abroad and sweep away all our efforts to defend women’s rights; they tarnish our reputation internationally," says one of the activists.

Reactions are pouring in from all sides and voices are increasingly rising to demand that Adil El Miloudi be "tried for advocating violence and misogyny," the same source notes. For their part, Internet users have called for a boycott of the artist’s songs by the media and the cancellation of all his shows.