Morocco Reports 16% Increase in Violence Against Women in 2018

These data were recorded by a network of women’s rights protection associations, whose action covered 24 regions. These cases include various types of violence classified into five categories, namely psychological, physical, economic, legal and sexual, according to the same sources.

According to the same document, the highest rates of violence against women are recorded in the centers of Essaouira, Agadir, Ouarzazate and Casablanca with 16.28%, 13.85%, 10.3% and 8.73% respectively. In the centers of the Al Hoceima region, the lowest rates of cases of battered women reach 0.64%, the same source reports.

Furthermore, 1,529 cases of violence were reported in Essaouira, 1,281 in Agadir, 1,239 in Casablanca, 958 in Rabat, 940 in Ouarzazate for the highest numbers, and 241 cases in Al Hoceima as the lowest recorded figures.

Regarding the type of violence, those related to the psychological order are in the lead with 48.95%, or 5,989 cases in 2018; followed by economic and social violence with 24.42% for 2,987 physical cases recorded. To these types of violence are added legal violence with 15.17% for 1,856 cases and sexual violence with 4.68% for 572 cases.