Strengthening Institutional Dynamics to Mitigate Rapes among Women and Children in Zanzibar Tanzania

Abstract

Rape is both a human rights and health issue of concern among development actors at local, national, regional and global, levels. The paper examined the existing institutional dynamics in mitigating rape among children and women in Zanzibar. A case study design was used with a mixed-methods approach. The sampling procedures involved purposive and simple random sampling methods. The questionnaire survey, key informant interview and focus group discussion methods were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis informed semi-quantitative and qualitative data analysis respectively. The findings revealed that rape is persistently a major issue affecting the community members including women and children in the study area. The factors contributing to rape include traditional beliefs, economic reasons, immorality and modernity. The findings revealed further that social and government institutional dynamics in mitigating rape mixed responses against rape from religious institutions holding a higher level of responses (4 levels) followed by Shehia, District and family scoring a moderate level (3 levels) of practices. The study concluded that rape among women and children are influenced by underlying factors including poor mitigating measures against rape among the relevant social and government institutions. The paper recommends for the adoption of proactive approach and results-oriented response to mitigating rape at an institutional level. This would involve the creation of a synergy between family members, government agencies and religious on planning, intervening, monitoring and reporting rape issues.