Violence Against Women in Lake Victoria Zone: A Case of Tarime District, Tanzania

Abstract

Violence against women is a global challenge affecting the survivors of violence, their families, and the country at large. While the prevention of violence against women is inevitable for the wellbeing of a nation, yet its preventive measures are vested in the hands of entities with limited capacity to handle it. This study was conducted in Tarime, a district located in the Lake Victoria Zone, to investigate violence against women. Specifically, the study examined the women’s experience of violence, the determinants of violence against women, and analysed the current preventive mechanism. A random sample of 97 households was used. All women aged 15 years and above were interviewed from these households, making a total of 149 interviewees. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and binary regression techniques. Findings revealed that nearly all women had experienced at least some form of violence in their lifetime, and a substantial proportion of women experienced violence in the past 12 months before the period of this survey. The less targeted, less extreme, and violent acts which lacked substantial public discourse were mostly reported to have been experienced by most women. Violence was more severe among women aged between 20-34; an increase in age by one year, as well as being a child to the household head, decreased the likelihood of respondents reporting to have experienced violent acts. Protection committees were not created as proposed by NPA- VAWC. Based on the findings, this study recommends increasing programmes of awareness creation for community transformation, establishing protection entities as per NPA-VAWC guidelines, designing and using strategies and action plans to guide implementation, enhancing the capacity of local leaders to handle violence cases, and establishing a harmonised system for capturing currently unreported incidences of violence cases.