Violence Against Women
"BE aggressive! use your teeth to bite any part of the body of a rapist, for evidence," these were unsympathetic words from a community leader to women in efforts to counter gender violence in his area.
Mr Muhammad Issa Kassim, the Mzuri Ward Shehia, at Makunduchi Village in Zanzibar did not mince his words when coaching women on how to deal with rape situation, after hearing of many shocking incidents of gender violence and abuse against women.
He was officiating at the launch of anti gender violence campaign being fielded under Gender Equality and Economic Empowerment (GEWE) II project in Zanzibar. He heard of women ordeals perpetrated by men including rape, beatings, and family abandonment by husbands.
GEWE project is supported by Denmark through its Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and in Zanzibar it is implemented by the Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA) in collaboration with the Zanzibar Female Lawyers Association (ZAFELA) focusing on redressing gender violence in selected areas of the Isles.
"If a man attacks you, in attempt to rape or torture you, bite him to leave a mark on his body which may be vital in evidence. Don't be cowards in fighting gender based violence. The government is behind you," said Kassim, the community leader (Sheha).
The Sheha leader said that winning war against rapists and other gender based violations need collective efforts and should begin with women being aggressive and pro active in reporting all violence against them by men in homes and in the community to the police.
At the GEWE launching ceremony held at Tassani Shehia in Makunduchi, Kassim said it was a pity to see that despite ongoing awareness creation efforts about equal rights that women and children have in the country, violence and abuse on them went on unabated.
The project is being implemented in 18 wards (Shehia) of Zanzibar including Nganani, Mzuri, Kijini, Kajengwa, Tassani, and Kiongoni in Unguja South and in Dole, Pangawe, Mile- Nne, Mwanakwerekwe, Bumbwisudi, and Kianga in Unguja West. In Pemba's Wete District, wards that are covered are Mchangamdogo, Kinyikani, Shengejuu, Kiungoni, Mjini-ole, and Kangagani.
Ms Zawadi Hamdu Ali, councillor for Mzuri Ward, said at the gathering that many women were still facing different forms of violence from people close to them including husbands, brothers, fathers, uncles, boyfriends, friends, workmates and neighbours.
Violence from strangers were not as many as that perpetrated by people they know, she added. "The most important thing for us (women) to do is changing from keeping quite to exposing these ordeals and perpetrators to law enforcers (police). We should not hide or feel ashamed, if we are to win war against gender violence," she said.
Mr Ali Mohamed Juma, head of the community policing in Unguja South District, called on members of the community particularly women to abandon shyness, and collaborate with activists, police, and courts to end gender based violence against them.
Mr Juma said that there were still many unreported cases of women abuse in the communities, and that even when victims of abuse and their relatives were asked to give evidence in courts, in most cases they do not show-up afraid of being ridiculed by people around them and perpetrators of the violence.
Ms Saada Salum, a lawyer from ZAFELA told the gathering under a big tree that most of the abuse cases in courts were dismissed for lack of evidence to convict the perpetrators. Sometimes, she said, women destroy evidence like taking a bath after rape, saying it was critical for women to know that they have to go to police and hospital for evidence before taking bath.
"Victims, law enforcers and witnesses are very important to give evidence in court. We therefore ask victims, women and other members of the family with evidence to show-up when asked," Saada said as she emphasized on the need for cooperation to control GBV in the islands.
Ms Asha Abdi Makame, GEWE coordinator in Zanzibar says although the project has economic empowerment of women aspect, the main focus was on prevention and reduction of Gender Based Violence (GBV). The project runs for two years from October 2012 to September 2014.
The project is also being implemented in Tanzania mainland districts of Kisarawe (Coast), Newala (Mtwara), Lindi Rural (Lindi), Mvomero (Morogoro) and Kinondoni, Ilala, and Temeke (Dar es Salaam). "The objective of GEWE II is on prevention and response to GBV through increased awareness, reporting and collective activism on GBV issues targeting perpetrators, survivors and communities," she said.
Officers from TAMWA, ZAFELA, Police, and community leaders, warned that it is a fact that war against gender based violence cannot be won without direct involvement of the communities, asking members of the community to be committed in the anti GBV campaign.