Woman Scream in Tanzania 2014

Woman Scream is back! For the second time, Tanzania is taking part in this international movement to fight violence against women.

Violence against women has many faces, most of them are unexpected. Victims of violence have one common trait, silence. The silence may be due to shame, social stigma, fear, lack of knowledge, and other social circumstances.

In 2009, a University of Dar-es-Salaam second-year female student, Bertha Mwarabu, was stabbed to death by an abusive boyfriend in an event that shocked fellow students, teachers, and parents alike. This unfortunate event that lead to her death left many of us with unanswered questions: Was it the first time? Couldn’t she find help? Why, why, why? Speculations said jealousy led to the stabbing, while some claimed that the suspect was known to be abusive with the victim for a long time. Although we may not know what transpired in this particular event, situations like these aren’t rare. In fact, statistics show that 1 in 3 women worldwide face violence at some point in their life. Be it at a college setting, or outside, rape, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and death happens to women and girls, and we need to raise awareness.

In 2013, the world in general and Tanzania in particular was shocked to find out about the violence that happens in their own backyard. There were gang rape cases in India, and a gang rape case that left one woman dead in Mbeya. There were rape cases at the Institute of Financial Management Hostels in Dar-es-Salaam, and at the University of Dodoma campuses. These incidences compel us all to join hands and take action.

For women like Bertha, victims that didn’t survive, for women that live under the shadow of abuse, and survivors, we are joining hands to Scream using poetry and the arts to convey this a message of hope, to advocate, and to offer these women a choice, a voice, and a place to go for help. This year, our Scream will be heard by hundreds of college students and we are asking you to join us. JOIN US ON WOMAN SCREAM.

Woman Scream is an international poetry festival aimed to fight violence against women. It is said that poetry can be as lethal as a sword, if not more. Founded in the Dominican Republic by Women Poets International (MPI), Woman Scream festival happens worldwide in the month of March. Tanzania is joining more than 30 other countries in this movement this year.

Woman Scream Tanzania is organized by La Poetista, in collaboration with AIESEC, with the support of Goethe Institut and Survivorhood.

Event details:
Date: Friday, March 28, 2014
Time: From 7pm
Venue: Goethe Institut, Alykhan Road 63, Upanga (opp. Jamatkhana Mosque)
Bus stop: Palm Beach/Red Cross