Violence against women in Uganda

Historically, most abuse was perpetrated within the family, and especially the marital setting, and as such was given relatively little regard. However, sociological trends such as the increasing participation of women in the workforce, urbanization, and a gradual shift away from the highly "closed" nature of traditional society have increased the visibility of this problem. While it is not immediately clear whether the incidence of physical beatings, sexual harassment, sexual attacks, and other forms of abuse of women are on the rise or are simply more likely to be noticed, it is clear that the magnitude of the problem is greater than had been imagined. It is also apparent that the sociological trends mentioned above provide new occasions for abuse in the workplace and other public settings. Personal, semi-structured interviews were conducted with about 400 Ugandan women in Kampala District of various ages and backgrounds, including housewives, housemaids, secretaries, students, and clinical workers, on their experiences with abuse. This study contains the details of these interviews, as well as analyses of the results and the implications for Ugandan society. The research has revealed that all categories of women in Kampala District, whatever their social strata, suffer violence at the hands of their husbands, relatives, parents, and teachers. These violations are rarely reported to the authorities, and even when they are, little is done to redress them.