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“ Don’t You Think It Is Violence Forcing Me to Have Sex While Not Happy? ” Women’s Conceptualization of Enjoyable Sex and Sexual Intimate Partner Violence in Mwanza, Tanzania

Author

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  • Zaina Mchome

    (Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, P.O. Box 11936 Mwanza, Tanzania
    National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza Centre, P.O. Box 1462 Mwanza, Tanzania)

  • Gerry Mshana

    (Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, P.O. Box 11936 Mwanza, Tanzania
    National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza Centre, P.O. Box 1462 Mwanza, Tanzania)

  • Diana Aloyce

    (Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, P.O. Box 11936 Mwanza, Tanzania)

  • Esther Peter

    (Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, P.O. Box 11936 Mwanza, Tanzania)

  • Donati Malibwa

    (Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, P.O. Box 11936 Mwanza, Tanzania)

  • Annapoorna Dwarumpudi

    (Gender Violence and Health Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK)

  • Saidi Kapiga

    (Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, P.O. Box 11936 Mwanza, Tanzania
    Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK)

  • Heidi Stöckl

    (Gender Violence and Health Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK)

Abstract

Intimate partner violence is a recognized public health and development issue that is consistently and comparatively measured through women’s experience of physical and/or sexual acts by their partner. While physical intimate partner violence is covered by a wide range of behaviors, sexual intimate partner violence (SIPV) is often only measured through attempted or completed forced sex, ignoring less obvious forms of sexual intimate partner violence. We explored women’s conceptualizations of SIPV by conducting in-depth interviews with 18 Tanzanian women. Using a thematic approach, we identified key features of women’s sexual intimate relationships and their perceptions of them. The women clearly defined acts of positive sexual relationships that occurred with mutual consent and seduction and SIPV that included acts of forced sex and sex under the threat of violence. They also identified several acts that were crossing the line, whereby a discrepancy of views existed whether they constituted SIPV, such as having sex when out of the mood, sex being the duty of the wife, sex during the menses, requests for anal sex, having sex to not lose the husband, husband refusing sex and husband having other partners. Women in this study felt violated by a far wider range of sexual acts in their relationships. Future studies need to improve the measurement of sexual intimate partner violence to allow the collection of encompassing, yet comparable, data on this harmful phenomenon.

Suggested Citation

  • Zaina Mchome & Gerry Mshana & Diana Aloyce & Esther Peter & Donati Malibwa & Annapoorna Dwarumpudi & Saidi Kapiga & Heidi Stöckl, 2020. "“ Don’t You Think It Is Violence Forcing Me to Have Sex While Not Happy? ” Women’s Conceptualization of Enjoyable Sex and Sexual Intimate Partner Violence in Mwanza, Tanzania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:7937-:d:436795
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Muluken Dessalegn Muluneh & Virginia Stulz & Lyn Francis & Kingsley Agho, 2020. "Gender Based Violence against Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cross-Sectional Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-21, February.
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