NCJ Number
245150
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 22 Issue: 5 Dated: 2013 Pages: 481-498
Date Published
2013
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article reports parental experiences of legally reporting child sexual abuse in Tanzania.
Abstract
Based on in-depth interviews, four types of sexual abuse incidents are portrayed. Each evokes different reactions from parents and the community. An incident characterized as the innocent child was associated with a determination to seek justice. The forced-sex youth elicited feelings of parental betrayal of their child. The consenting curious youth resulted in uncertainty of how to proceed, while the transactional-sex youth evoked a sense of parental powerlessness to control the child because of low economic status. Differentiating between types of sexual abuse incidents may increase awareness of the complexities of child sexual abuse reporting. Education on laws regulating sexual offenses and a functional national child protection system are needed to address child sexual abuse complexities and safeguard the rights of children in Tanzania. Abstract published by arrangement with Taylor and Francis.