Only 5% of Moroccans believe public spaces are completely safe for women, new study finds

A new study by Mansat for Social Research and Studies reveals that just 5% of Moroccans believe public spaces are completely safe for women.

The study, titled “Women, Public Spaces, and Individual Freedoms,” surveyed 1,528 participants from all twelve administrative regions of Morocco.

While 42% of respondents consider public spaces to be fairly safe, 25% find them safe, and over 20% feel they are unsafe or completely unsafe for women.

The study also highlights that more than 75% of Moroccans support women’s right to access various public spaces such as cafes, cinemas, parks, and hotels, with 21% opposing the idea.

This reflects a broad societal acceptance of women’s presence in public spaces, though with regional and demographic variations.

Interestingly, younger age groups are notably more supportive of women’s rights to public access. 80% of those aged 25-34 and 77% of those aged 18-24 and 35-44 agreed that women should have unrestricted access to public spaces. However, the study found a significant decrease in support among people aged 65 and older, with only 55.9% agreeing.

The findings also show that women are more likely to support these rights (83.7%) compared to men (66.4%), suggesting a gender divide in perceptions regarding women’s freedoms in public spaces. Additionally, the study explored topics such as harassment, hijab wearing, and the legal rights of women in Morocco.