High rates of child abuse in Tanzania

2011-08-10 12:40

Dar es Salaam - A government-led study in Tanzania has found that three out of 10 girls and young women have suffered sexual violence.

The report funded by Unicef also found that one out of seven young men had been sexually abused.

Investigators surveyed more than 3 700 people aged 13 to 24 across the East African nation.

Tanzanian officials vowed to address the issue. And Unicef's Tanzania Chief of Child Protection, Andrew Brooks, commended the country for seeking statistical proof of child abuse.

The study released on Tuesday also found that three-quarters of those surveyed had been physically abused as children.

The report was carried out by Muhimbili University for Health and Allied Science, with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

- AP