There are no prevalence data for childhood sexual abuse among Tanzanian university
students. This investigation addressed this paucity. The nature of sexual abuse and
the contextual issues exacerbating the problem of CSA were explored. The research
questions explored were as follows: 1. At what rate do university students in
Tanzania report experiences of child sexual abuse? 2. What is the nature of child
sexual abuse in Tanzania? 3. Who perpetrates child sexual abuse in Tanzania? 4.
What are the effects/consequences of child sexual abuse in Tanzania? 5. What are the
causes of child sexual abuse in Tanzania? An ecological framework will be
employed in this research. An ecological prism is useful for investigating CSA in
Tanzania because it recognises that individuals are inseparable from the context in
which they live and that this context has significant influences on them.
Participants (N= 487) from a university in Tanzania completed a questionnaire,
which assessed abusive childhood sexual experiences, gathering information about
age of victim, duration of abuse, perpetrators, amount of force or persuasion
involved, and potential causes of child sexual abuse. A number of individuals were
also interviewed about their experiences. Two focus groups and a review of case
files also added to the research.
The overall prevalence rate for child sexual abuse was 27.7%, with rates being higher
for females than for males. The average age of the victim when abuse occurred was
13.8 years. Perpetrators were generally unidentified by respondents; nonetheless, a
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surprisingly high proportion of female perpetrators was noted. Poverty was the
primary explanation given for child sexual abuse. Contextual factors exacerbating
the problem of CSA were identified such as the patriarchal nature of society, the
transactional nature of sexual relations, the low status of children, and the avoidance
of HIV.
The findings of this study suggest that child sexual abuse exists in Tanzania at
similar levels to those reported throughout the world and that some of this abuse is a
product of a need for economic support and survival. It is suggested that poverty
feeds the “sugar daddy/mammy” phenomenon, which aggravates the problem of
CSA. The avoidance of HIV is another potential factor fueling the sexual abuse of
children in the region. It is argued that CSA is occuring in a patriarchial cultural
context, making women and children particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse. A
strong incest taboo and the higher rates of sexual abuse of boys need further
investigation in the Tanzanian context. This thesis has particular relevance to
students, researchers, and academics undertaking research projects focusing on child
protection in SSA.