The Community Perception On Child Physical Abuse In Tanzania: A Case Of Ilala Municipality

ABSTRACT

The study focuses on ―The Community Perception on Child Physical Abuse in Tanzania: A Case of Ilala Municipality” as a social problem affecting some of children under the study area. It was guided by the following specific objectives; to identify community‘s perception on children physical abuse, to determine the effects of children physical abuse on growth and to explore the roles of civil society organizations and the government on eradicating child physical abuse. Sample size of one hundred and two (102) respondents was employed so as to get appropriate and consistent information concerning the study. Purposive sampling and simple random sampling procedures were utilized whereby social survey and personal interview used as a method of data collection. Questionnaire and interview schedule were used as tools for data collection to get primary and secondary data. Data analysis was employed both qualitative and quantitative with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 15. The results from this study reveal that the community has different perceptions according to status. The community perceive child physical abuse as moderate but social workers acknowledged it as high because they deal with cases. They mentioned the effects of child physical abuse, psychological problem as the leading one. The cases are not reported because of many factors like corruption; perpetrators‘ are sometimes parents, guardians and neighbors. In view of that, the study recommends that in order to stamp out child physical abuse there should be unity among all stakeholders that is; government, non-government organizations and the entire community.