The increase in violent crimes in Tunisia is no longer, according to certain specialists, isolated or exceptional events. For sociologist Mohamed Jouili, professor of sociology at the University of Tunis, the country is facing a deeper and more worrying phenomenon: a form of progressive trivialization of murder within society.
Speaking this Tuesday on Jawhara FM, Jouili gave a grim diagnosis of the situation, evoking “a sort of normalization of crime”, particularly through digital uses. “The act of killing has become, in certain contexts, almost ordinary. It circulates fluidly on social media, which helps make it easier and quicker to commit,” he explained.
For the sociologist, this massive and instantaneous circulation of violent content helps to desensitize public opinion. The broadcast of videos showing crime scenes or lifeless bodies is no longer perceived as shocking by some Internet users, but as simple content among others, consumed and shared without hindsight.
Mohamed Jouili also believes that the recurring debate around the reinstatement of the death penalty does not constitute an effective response. “Capital execution will not change anything. The person who decides to kill does not think in terms of punishment. The act is often impulsive, guided by a total break with norms,” he said, rejecting the idea of the deterrent effect of extreme punishment.
Strong psychological pressure
According to him, this phenomenon is part of a social context marked by strong psychological pressure, economic tensions and a rise in a culture of excess, which he describes as “a culture of going to extremes”. This dynamic encourages violent behavior, where the individual seeks a radical solution to their frustrations or conflicts.
Returning to the tragedy that recently occurred in Menzel Bourguiba, during which an individual committed a crime before committing suicide, the sociologist underlined the symbolic significance of the message left by the perpetrator. This message, according to him, can be interpreted as an attempt to construct a logic between the cause and the act, or even as an extension of the criminal act aimed at justifying its meaning in the eyes of others.
Through this analysis, Mohamed Jouili highlights a deep societal problem that goes beyond the security or judicial framework. An alert that invites us to rethink prevention policies, the role of the media and digital platforms, as well as psychological and social support mechanisms, in the face of violence that has become, for some, sadly ordinary.
