Breaking the Silence: Understanding Awareness and Culture of Silence in Reporting Gender Based Violence Incidents in Tanzania
Understanding awareness and culture
Keywords:
local governance, community development, gender equality, culture of silence, gender-based violence, participationAbstract
Gender-based violence is pervasive at every societal level, fraom global to local contexts. It occurs in various settings, including domestic spaces, public communities and workplaces. While awareness campaigns against gender-based violence are increasingly prevalent, uncertainties persist regarding the culture of silence in reporting such incidents. Existing literature acknowledges societal stigma and fear as barriers, but has not sufficiently examined the specific, household-level determinants of the entrenched culture of silence in semi-urban contexts. This paper examines levels of awareness, reporting rates and contributing factors to the culture of silence in reporting gender-based violence incidents in the selected wards of Dunda, Kiromo, Magomeni and Nianjema in Bagamoyo District Council. It utilises baseline survey data (n=477) collected in May 2024 at the household level. The study employs descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. Findings confirm a high awareness of GBV and available reporting channels, but reporting rates remain critically low. Contributing factors to this culture of silence include a lack of trust in authorities, concerns about confidentiality, fear of retaliation, lack of awareness of reporting tools, lack of support from duty bearers, insufficient resources, and cultural taboos. As a result, this culture of silence has led to inadequate reporting of gender-based violence incidents, potentially perpetuating the cycle of violence. Addressing this issue is important in promoting a more responsive, inclusive and supportive environment for victims to enhance societal well-being. Strengthening collective efforts in raising awareness, improving monitoring, creating safe spaces for reporting and building trust is recommended to advance gender equality and inclusivity.
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