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March 23, 2025
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June 30, 2025
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Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant global health issue and a form of gender-based violence with far-reaching consequences. Estimates indicate that 39% of married women in Tanzania have experienced spousal violence. This study investigated the factors that contribute to intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Dar es Salaam region.


Methods: This quantitative study employed a cross-sectional design and questionnaires to survey 280 ever-married men and women who had experienced violence during data collection. Participants were randomly selected from social welfare departments, and logistic regression analysis was used to determine the key determinants of IPV.


Results: The study identified several key determinants that significantly influenced IPV, including economic dependence (p=0.009), cohabitation (p=0.020), having multiple sexual partners (p=0.050), parental influence (p=0.032), unplanned pregnancies (p=0.042), low property ownership (p=0.006), and alcohol abuse(p=0.024).


Conclusion: Traditional gender roles enforce rigid expectations for men and women and create power imbalances that perpetuate IPV. This study calls for proactive interventions by the local government and stakeholders, such as religious leaders, to reduce IPV. These include promoting economic empowerment, gender equality, and providing accessible support services for survivors.

Keywords

Intimate partner violence economic dependence Dar es Salaam

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Copyright (c) 2025 Godlove Barikiel Matemba, Elizabeth Lulu Genda, Moses January Ndunguru

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Author Biographies

Godlove Barikiel Matemba, Tengeru Institute of Community Development, Tanzania

Godlove Barikiel Matemba is a lecturer at the Tengeru Institute of Community Development (TICD) located in Arusha, Tanzania. He is currently a PhD candidate in Development Studies at Mzumbe University - Morogoro Campus. He holds an MA in Cooperative and Community Development (MACCD), an M.Ed. in Administration, Planning, and Policy Studies (M.Ed. APPS), a B.Ed. in Languages, and a Diploma in Education. He has published papers, prepared higher education training manuals and syllabi, and participated in international and national conferences and workshops. His teaching and training areas include gender studies, demography, community development, communication skills, and adult learning. His research interests encompass gender and development studies, community development, and education-related studies.

Elizabeth Lulu Genda, Mzumbe University, Tanzania

Elizabeth Genda is the Director of the Institute of Development Studies at Mzumbe University and an Associate Professor in Demographic Trends and Gender Dynamics. She has a PhD in Demography. Prof. Genda has extensive experience in development studies, especially in gender and population dynamics. Her research includes population dynamics, gender equity, and social development. At Mzumbe University, she teaches gender studies, population studies, social science research methods, and governance for development.

Moses January Ndunguru, Mzumbe University, Tanzania

Moses January Ndunguru is a Senior Lecturer in Development Studies at Mzumbe University. He holds a BA (Ed), MSc in Urban Management and Development with a focus on Urban Governance, and a PhD in Development Studies. He has published extensively in development studies, governance, and service delivery. His teaching areas encompass governance for development, policy analysis, urban and rural development, project governance, health insurance, education studies, and international relations. 

How to Cite
Matemba, G. B., Genda, E. L., & Ndunguru, M. J. (2025). Exploring the Determinants of Intimate Partner Violence in the Dar es Salaam Region, Tanzania. Pan-African Journal of Health and Environmental Science, 4(1), 68–86. https://doi.org/10.56893/ajhes2025v04i01.05
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