COVID-19 Domestic Violence Country Updates: Morocco
Thursday, August 6, 2020 4:00 PM

morocco_covid_country_update.png

In Morocco, NGOs have seen reports of domestic violence almost double since the beginning of the lockdown period in late March. Under national shelter-in-place measures, without government authorization, victims cannot seek protection outside of the home. In April, Morocco’s chief prosecutor reported that Morocco had received 40% fewer calls reporting domestic violence. Stephanie Willman Bordat, a lawyer who heads the Moroccan nonprofit Mobilizing for Rights Associates, notes that the decline in reporting is deceptive: “It doesn’t mean violence has gone down … It means that people aren’t able to make complaints and don’t have access to justice.” Moroccan official data does not take into account victim reports to aid organizations or cries for help on social media. On April 12, the Moroccan government announced its involvement in an international initiative that vows to prevent and remedy domestic violence.