At just 23, she has withdrawn from all the activities that people her age typically enjoy. She no longer goes out, has moved away from the city, her parents have disowned her, and she has abandoned her long-held dream of becoming a teacher.

All of this came crashing down after her ex-partner published intimate videos of her on social media. For *Hafia, the experience was devastating.

“I didn’t know he was recording me,” Hafia, a tall, light-skinned girl dressed in a black abaya and green scarf, recounts, her face lowered. “After we broke up and went our separate ways, three months later, I found our intimate video circulating in online groups.”

“Everyone sent it to me, and there was no way to deny it because it was me. What hurt me the most was that the video didn’t show my partner’s face, so all the shame fell on me and my family,” she continued.

“I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about whether I should commit suicide or run away from home. I remember my mother saying, ‘Making it a secret wasn’t enough for you; you had to keep evidence.’ Those words hurt me deeply, and I felt like my life was over.” Her father, a devout Muslim scholar, disowned her and kicked her out of the house.

“The shame was immense, and my father kicked me out. I went to live with my aunt in the village and had to drop out of college. I don’t go out anymore. People say I’ll never get married, and I still get called horrible names,” Hafia said.

Hafia is a victim of revenge porn, a phenomenon where private sexual materials are shared without a person’s consent to cause embarrassment or distress. The perpetrators are often former lovers or partners, and in most cases, the victims are women.

In Zanzibar, this practice has devastating effects on its victims, especially given the religious and conservative nature of the society. Conversations about the issue are virtually non-existent, making victims feel isolated and unwelcome in their communities.

The world has moved on, but I haven’t

*Alua, 29, is the mother of a four-year-old. She married her husband in 2019, but the marriage didn’t last due to tensions at home, forcing her to move back to her parents’ house. While they agreed to divorce, Alua’s husband wasn’t ready to let her move on and constantly threatened her.

She always ignored his threats until 2021, when her husband published intimate videos of her online.

“I was leaving college when I got a call from my friend telling me to check WhatsApp. Just as I was about to open it, my sister called, crying, and told me to come home immediately,” Alua recalls, her voice heavy with emotion.

READ: Meet Brave Zanzibari Men And Women Taking On Child Sex Trafficking: ‘We’ve Got Children Too’

When she checked her phone, it felt like her world had shattered. Her nude photos, with her face visible, were everywhere.

“About 20 people sent me the photos, and when I saw them, it felt like my heart was about to stop,” Alua said. She went to Facebook to find the page where the photos had been posted. “It was a new page called ‘Homa ya Jiji’ [translated as ‘The City’s Fever’], and people were gossiping about me.”

Alua remembered what her husband had often said: “He used to say, ‘I’ll show you’ and ‘I’ll do something bad to you,’ but I never thought he had kept those intimate images from the beginning of our relationship to humiliate me.”

“The world collapsed on me. I even went to Michezani’s high-rise neighborhood, ready to jump, but I told myself it would pass. Now, the world has moved on, but I haven’t. I have never healed, and I will never heal. That’s why I dropped out of college and left home,” Alua explained.

Legal Environment

In Tanzania, Section 14 of the Cybercrime Act of 2015 provides penalties against publishing or causing the publication of pornography, with a fine of not less than 20 million Tanzanian shillings or imprisonment for a term of no less than ten years, or both. Additionally, Section 27 of the Act states that anyone who conspires with another person to commit an offense under the Act is also criminally liable.

Warda Hemed Mansour, the Creative Director of The Launch Pad, organization that provides support to victims of revenge porn and other digital violations, told The Chanzo that while they continue to emphasize education, there is a need to reassess the law’s practicality in today’s fast-evolving technological landscape.

“When we advise people, we tell them not to take intimate images of themselves or send them to anyone, as they will also be considered as offenders if those images end up in the public domain,” Warda explains, noting that many victims lose motivation to pursue legal action after seeking help.

One victim who sought help from the authorities was *Khadija, 24, a resident of Mjini Magharibi. Khadija decided to take action after her former partner blackmailed her into continuing their sexual relationship, threatening to expose secretly recorded videos if she didn’t comply.

“He was my fiancé, but he secretly recorded a video of us during an intimate moment. After we broke up, he sent it to me and threatened to publish it online,” Khadija explained, detailing how she felt forced to meet her ex-partner’s demands.

“Our relationship had ended, but he kept threatening me. I had to give in to his demands to avoid embarrassment. He promised to delete the videos, but he never did,” she said.

Unlike many victims, Khadija’s mother was attentive and supportive when her daughter shared her ordeal.

“My daughter told me everything, and it broke my heart. What devastated me more was when she said she had been forced to engage in sexual acts with two men at once. I wanted to die, but I had to stay strong for her,” Khadija’s mother shared as we sat in her home.

“I reported the incident to the Director of the Ministry of Community Development, and they sent the police to arrest him. He deleted the images, and now my daughter feels safer,” she concluded.

Needed Action

Speaking to The Chanzo, the Director of Zanzibar’s Ministry of Community Development, Sitti Abbas Ali, emphasized the importance of preserving human dignity.

“Women and girls must avoid recording or sharing intimate images, but it’s also important to report these threats early, before the material is shared, to reduce the damage to a person’s dignity,” Siti emphasized.

The Zanzibar Police Force has acknowledged that while revenge porn is rarely reported, it is known to be a growing issue in the community.

“During my time here, I’ve received very few reports from victims of revenge porn. People feel ashamed and worry that reporting will spread the story further,” said Hamad Khamis Hamad, Zanzibar Police Commissioner. He assured that the police are ready to handle such cases and protect victims.

One organization that has dealt with multiple revenge porn cases in Zanzibar is the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA). Dr. Mzuri Issa, the organization’s director, stressed the need for a societal shift in how such incidents are perceived.

“The community must treat these cases as unfortunate and stop viewing victims as wrongdoers,” Dr. Mzuri said.

*Not her real name

Are you a victim of digital violations in Tanzania and in need of help? Call +255 676 333 935 — Launch Pad Digital Helpline for immediate support

Najjat Omar is The Chanzo’s journalist based in Zanzibar. She is available at najomar@live.com.