NCJ Number
216993
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 30 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2006 Pages: 1343-1351
Date Published
December 2006
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study examined the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse experienced by individuals in a sample of 487 college students (282 males and 204 females) enrolled at a university in Tanzania.
Abstract
The study findings show that child sexual abuse in Tanzania is at levels similar to that reported in countries throughout the world, with the abuse being related to a need for economic support and survival. A total of 135 students reported one or more unwanted sexual experiences before the age of 18 with a person at least 5 years older than the victim. Thirty-one percent of female students and 25 percent of male students reported having experienced at least one type of abusive sexual experience before they were 18 years old. The average age at which the abuse occurred was 13.6 years old. Unwanted fondling and kissing were the most common form of child sexual abuse reported. Unwanted sexual intercourse was experienced by 11.2 percent of the women and 8.8 percent of the men. The sexual abuse usually occurred over a period of days. Most of the students indicated perpetrators to be unidentified males and females. None of the students mentioned a parent or sibling as being the abuser. There was a significant amount of force or persuasion associated with the sexual abuse; bribes and physical force were frequently mentioned. Most victims of childhood sexual abuse believed that poverty and superstition were primary conditions that contributed to the abuse. The anonymous, self-administered questionnaire completed by the students assessed abusive childhood sexual experiences, with attention to the victim's age at the time of the abuse, the duration of the abuse, perpetrator characteristics, the amount of force or persuasion used in initiating the abuse, and the potential causes of the abuse. 2 tables and 29 references