Perceptions of Child Sexual AbuseA Qualitative Interview Study with Representatives of the Socio-Legal System in Urban Tanzania

• NCJ Number: 231429
• Journal: Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: May-June 2010 Pages: 290-309
• Author(s): Felix Kisanga; Jessie Mbwambo; Norah Hogan; Lennarth Nystrom; Maria Emmelin; Gunilla Lindmark
• Date Published: May 2010
• Length: 20 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2006-1512
• Sponsoring Agency: Umeå Centre for Global Health Research; Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research; Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the experiences of government officials and health professionals in urban Tanzania in their handling of child sexual abuse cases.

Abstract

Through in-depth interviews, this study explored perceptions and experiences of key players handling child sexual offense cases in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The informants included public police investigators, magistrates, legal workers, and social workers working with nongovernmental organizations. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Five themes emerged summarizing factors associated with sexual offenses, including community passivity, legal system weaknesses, legal framework inadequacy, and key players' vulnerabilities. Addressing the identified weaknesses may promote justice, while changes in attitudes and norms are needed for the prevention of sexual offenses to children. Tables, figures, and references (Published Abstract)