Image-Based Sexual Abuse Against Adolescents in Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Analysis of Lifestyles and Routine Activities

Image-based Sexual Abuse (IBSA) victimization appears to be prevalent among adolescents, but the influence of lifestyles and routine activities on its etiology is still not well understood. Informed by Routine Activity Theory, the current study aims to explain IBSA victimization by examining the risk factors associated with adolescents' routine activities, with a particular focus on the different ways of exposure to Internet use on weekdays and weekends. The study was conducted in Tanzania, East Africa, a country with one-third of its population as adolescents and a rapid increase in Internet use. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey questionnaire administered to a stratified random sample of 1,014 adolescents (aged 12-20 years; 58.38% female). Tobit models with moderation analyses were employed to test the hypotheses. Routine activity factors such as exposure on the weekends, and attractiveness, and proximity to offenders increased the risks of IBSA. Internet use patterns showed distinct moderation effects: weekday use positively moderated physical guardianship against IBSA, while weekend use demonstrated a negative moderation effect. IBSA victimization among the current sample of Tanzanian youth was influenced by their different weekly Internet use patterns, with smaller households found to increase weekday risk while providing weekend protection. The results highlight the importance of implementing customized prevention strategies that address weekly Internet use patterns within both school and family environments.