Speaking with the Tanzanian local press, the YWCA of Tanzania Secretary General, Ms LoeRose Mbise said statistics show that in 2006 alone, there were 4,084 reported cases of violence on women, which rose to 6,531 the following year.

"National statistics obtained from the Police Force and subsequently, reported by the media, suggest that there were 4,084 cases in 2006, a figure which shot up by more than a third in 2007", Mbise said when reflecting on the magnitude of the problem.

Mbise made the revelation following a two-day special training programme organised by the YWCA of Tanzania. The training was held at the Anglican Church's Diocese of Victoria Nyanza Conference Hall and drew ten church leaders from Mwanza City.

The leaders called on the church to 'break the long silence' on the matter of violence against women. Mbise told the press that women now have the courage to report incidents of rape and other sexual assaults to the law-enforcers resulting in the apprehension of the perpetrators.

Mbise criticised some church leaders whom she did not disclose, for their indifference to sexual abuses including gender-driven violence. "There are serious allegations that some churches and their leaders have impliedly condoned the deplorable behaviour. They have failed to condemn the behaviour,” said Mbise.

According to Mbise, the silence from church leaders has consequently made victims experience the trauma of being either sexually assaulted or physically harmed and the process can often cause hatred and disintegration of families.

Mbise said the YWCA of Tanzania would continue to denounce violence on women. In 2007, the association launched a three-year 'breaking the silence on gender-driven violence’ campaign, dubbed as TAMAR. The campaign coverage area extended to Mwanza, Arusha and Dar es Salaam and is set to be reach Shinyanga, Mara and Manyara regions. The aim of the TAMAR campaign is to mobilise and sensitise girls, women, men, media, faith-based organisations, religious institutions and other stakeholders to say ‘no’ to rape and domestic violence.