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

Younger men have knowledge about GBV
Generally, young male PFG participants were knowledgeable about GBV and were able to
produce a list of violent behaviors and acts.
My understanding of what GBV is…for example…you can find a man is humiliating a
woman, punishing her by cutting her and forcing her to do things that are not right to do
or you give her a lot of responsibilities to do because she is a woman; that is my
understanding of what GBV is.
Male PFG participant (18-24 years old), Mbeya
While this awareness among young men is likely a positive sign that national campaigns
have been effective in increasing awareness of GBV, it does not mean that young men are
intolerant of such violence or that they see it as a violation of a woman’s rights. In fact,
male PFG participants did not see all forms of GBV as problematic or worthy of action. They
reported that sometimes men in their age group will use the prevailing social norms to get
away with GBV against their girlfriends.
On my understanding if a boyfriend and a girlfriend are just friends, they are not
married yet, therefore if you find her with another man and because your relationship is
not yet recognized…So there is no other decision you can take rather than beating.
Male PFG Participant (18-24years old), Mbeya
As illustrated by this quote, young men are not worried about girlfriends reporting physical
violence against them because having a boyfriend is not socially sanctioned behavior.
Violence against men is an overlooked concern
Men in both PFGs in Mbeya raised the issue of violence against men as a social problem that
is common in Tanzania but is not talked about because of stigma and norms around
masculinity.
You have said that GBV is only encountered by women but there are men in the same
situation. The government preaches equal rights for all; we ask the government to
consider men as well because nobody believes you if you say your wife has beaten you
up.
Male PFG Participant (25+ years old), Mbeya
There are some women that have been very harsh towards their husbands. We cannot
talk about it because it is believed that men are stronger than women.
Male PFG Participant (25+ years old), Mbeya
These norms create expectations that men will be strong and dominant in their
relationships, making them invulnerable to abuse from their partners. While violence
against men was not included as part of the scope of the present research, it is important to
recognize that it occurs but is also veiled by a culture of silence.
Help-Seeking Pathways and Barriers for Survivors of GBV in Tanzania March 2013
Page 24