Violence against women by an intimate male partner among women of higher learning institutions in Dar es Salaam

Global estimates indicate that one in four women experience sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetimes, 10% to 50% of women are being hit or otherwise physically harmed by an intimate male partner at some point in their live and 76% of women who are raped or otherwise physically assaulted after the age of 18 are attacked by current of former intimate partners. An analytical cross sectional study, about violence against women with higher education was carried out in six colleges Dar es salaam. A total of 433 women aged between 1953 years were recruited into the study. The mean age of respondents was 28 years with respondents’ education level ranging from diploma to masters level. All colleges open at the time of data collection were included into the study. Data collection was done using a structured self-administered questionnaire. About 72% of women in the study population had male partner in their life time, and 65% were currently in partnership. At least one among five women had ever faced at least one form of physical violence and the prevalence of various forms of physical violence varied the level of education. The results further showed that 27.3% of women had faced at least one form of sexual violence, the highest levels of forced sexual intercourse seemed to occur among women with masters levels and advanced diploma of education than other levels and the prevalence of various types of sexual violence seemed to vary with age and was reported more frequently by married women. Women are not passive to violent acts by their partners, more than a third ever fought back during violence, about a quarter of those who ever faced violent acts have ever left their partners at least once due to violence and about a third of those who left did not return to their partners. Two thirds of those who had ever been abused had never sought for help because they felt embarrassed. Most women who were subject to partner violence preferred to tell their parents, relatives, partner’s family and neighbours than any legal institutions. This shows that the family and community have much to play in order to help put violence to an end. The prevalence of ever physical violence among the study population seemed to be lower than that in the general population while that of sexual violence seemed to be more in the study population. Violence against women is high even among women of higher education, calling for concrete efforts to curb violence other than education. Given the extent of violence against women in intimate relationships there is strong need for interventions that address violence against women from family level so that immediate effect is not only to solve the immediate situation but also to help men know that it is against the law and against the human rights to physically, sexually or psychological abuse women even if they are married. There is need for an adequate campaign among families and the communities about ending violence in intimate relationships and look for the ways that can provide help during violence acts so as to reduce the consequences. And therefore the need for well integrated effort of NGO’s which deal with violence against women so that the magnitude of their work and efforts has a measurable effect not to be overemphasized.