Technology-Triggered Gender-Based Violence (TTGBV) in Zanzibar

This article explores the growing problem of technology-triggered gender-based violence (TTGBV) in Zanzibar, focusing on how digital platforms expose children and young men to harmful content that encourages sexual abuse. While global and national frameworks emphasize the elimination of gender-based violence, institutional gaps in Zanzibar across law enforcement, education, and community structures have left children increasingly vulnerable to online grooming, pornography, and sextortion.

To address this gap, the study applies the Institutionalizing Social Ecological Model (ISEM), which highlights institutions as central actors in either preventing or perpetuating TTGBV. Using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys with adolescents and interviews with key stakeholders, the research demonstrates that technology not only facilitates abuse but also triggers children and young men to engage in sexual acts. The findings show that institutional weaknesses amplify these risks, making TTGBV both a digital and structural problem.

The article concludes by recommending urgent reforms in law, education, parental engagement, and survivor-centered services. By reframing TTGBV as an institutional challenge driven by technology, this study contributes new insights for safeguarding children’s digital and offline lives in Zanzibar.