Help-Seeking Pathways and Barriers for ... - EngenderHealth

Being humiliated in public
Insults, name calling, yelling, and threats were all listed as forms of GBV, most prominently
in the female PFGs. When these acts were carried out within the home, they were seen as
normal and widely accepted. However, when carried out in public, these acts cross a
threshold into unacceptable behavior because they are a form of public humiliation for the
woman.
Being harassed in public is common and threats are also common. Being beaten in
public is also a common thing.
Female PFG participant (25+ years old), Iringa
Similarly, the issue of denying a child’s paternity was mentioned in several groups as an act
of violence (in the form of humiliation) that is common but for which there is a locally
accessible recourse for the woman. As defined by female PFG participants, this act escalates
into unacceptable GBV when it is done publicly and causes a woman embarrassment:
That is his legally married wife, that means he has children with her, if he denies them
saying they are not his children, then in front of the community he is humiliating her.
Female PFG participant (25+ years old), Iringa
It is important to note that there was some disagreement across and even within groups
about where to draw the line of defining verbal abuse as violence. For some, this critical line
is crossed only when it becomes a physical act carried out in public:
It depends with the mind of a man; he may be your husband but follows you to your
place of working and starts beating you in public; that is violence.
Female PFG participant (25+ years old), Mbeya
3. Acts of GBV Perceived to be Unacceptable or Intolerable
In contrast to the types of GBV largely viewed as acceptable within community norms, PFG
respondents across sex and age group described a common set of violent acts regarded as
“unacceptable” or “extreme” within their communities. These unacceptable acts require a
response such as reporting the incident to the police or other forms of help-seeking. Unlike
other types of violence, survivors of these “unacceptable” actions often experience
community support and greater receptiveness to help-seeking. While the specific acts listed
varied across the PFGs, overall, there was an emphasis on severity and frequency of the
act, as well as whether or not it occurred in public.
Rape
Rape by a stranger was defined by all groups as an unacceptable form of violence,
especially rape of a child, which was explained as deserving of harsh penalties. However,
across all groups, a critical distinction that determines help-seeking was made between
being raped and forced sex, as illustrated by the quote below:
Help-Seeking Pathways and Barriers for Survivors of GBV in Tanzania March 2013
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