Perceptions of Child Sexual Abuse-A Qualitative Interview Study with Representatives of the Socio-Legal System in Urban Tanzania

Through in-depth interviews, this study explored perceptions and experiences of key players handling child sexual offense cases in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The informants included public police investigators, magistrates, legal workers, and social workers working with nongovernmental organizations. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Five themes emerged summarizing factors associated with sexual offenses, including community passivity, legal system weaknesses, legal framework inadequacy, and key players' vulnerabilities. Addressing the identified weaknesses may promote justice, while changes in attitudes and norms are needed for the prevention of sexual offenses to children.