Assessment of sexual and gender based violence against boys under eighteen years old in urban Tanzania: a case of Temeke municipality, Dar es Salaam region.

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing Sexual and Gender Based Violence against Boys under Eighteen Years old in Urban Tanzania. To achieve the objective, 80 respondents from primary and secondary schools, hospitals, police stations, courts and streets of Temeke Municipality were selected. Both primary and secondary data were collected by using questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion and documentary review. The information obtained was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The information gained showed that, boys also are victims of SGBV and they suffer from it as much as girls do and sometime even more than girls. Although this problem of SGBV exists for long period of time now, it is still the issue of secret in the study area. The social-cultural context of the study area carries stereotypes and customs which picture boys as warriors, masculine and strong and that they cannot be victims of SGBV. This has made males to have fear of reporting the incidents when they face such inhuman acts of SGBV. Thus, because of it the study area is dominated with the culture of silence when it comes to issues concerning SGBV. Furthermore, the study also found that lack of education, poverty and poor management of SGBV cases are another challenges facing the fight against these inhuman acts against boys. This is due to the same gender stereotypes and customs which pose males as perpetrators of SGBV and not victims of it. Therefore, the study recommends that there should be an improvement of gender policies, provision of SGBV education, sustainability of gender awareness programs and strengthening institutions which deals with SGBV cases. Also the study recommends further that, there should be the collaboration between Government and Non-Government Organizations in promoting gender sensitivity and equality to all people in the country.