AllAfrica report on a growing number of Tanzanian women who are reported as being 'caught in the crossfire' of community attempts to reduce growing HIV rates. A number of women have been attacked and abused by groups of men claiming that their 'inappropriate dress' is increasing the risk of HIV spreading. Moreover, local reports suggest that these attacks are in some cases being encouraged by community elders.
Josiah Makulu, 67, a community elder in Mkinga, believes returning to ancient cultural values is the best way to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. He and several other elders have been encouraging locals to punish "inappropriately" dressed women.
"Why are they giving out condoms when we can go back to our culture?" he asked. "If women start dressing decently no man will have to look at them and people will only have their wives. The way they are dressing today ... they are leading young men astray."
Sheik Omar Abdallah, another elder, also blames women's choice of clothing for putting local communities at risk. "If you find a man sleeping with many women, it is because those women have attracted him in one way," he said.
Community workers have condemned the recent attacks. "Communities believe in upholding moral values but while having morals is good, people have rights and when you punish them for wearing certain clothes... you defeat your cause," Godwin Msumba, a community health worker, said.
