By James Wallunya
Both men and women are perpetrators and victims of gender based violence in Kenya that manifests itself in different forms resulting in physical, psychological, economic and sexual abuse despite campaigns and legislative efforts to curb the offence.
A USAID and UNICEF research shows that; 83% of women and girls in Kenya report one or more episodes of physical abuse in childhood, 75% of women Kenyan report having suffered from gender-based domestic violence in the homestead, the majority of Kenyan women believe it is acceptable for men to beat their spouses, 46% report at least one incident of sexual abuse as a child, 36% of rural women report having experienced Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 25% report losing their virginity by force. The Gender Violence Recovery Center (GVRC) indicates that 90% of violence against women are perpetrated by men.
The United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR, 1948) recognizes sexual and gender based violence as a human rights violation. The Constitution of Kenya's Chapter Four on The Bill of Rights guarantees every person the right and fundamental freedoms, safeguards women’s rights and also criminalizes abuse but there are reports of people using cultural, religious and other convictions to try and justify patriarchy and gender based violence/discrimination.
Unequal power relations, low-education levels, laxity in enforcing the law, emotional and psychological instability, alcohol and substance abuse and patriarchal traditions have been blamed for the cases of gender based violence in Kenya, causing body and psychological injury, denial of health and reproductive rights, education, social, cultural and economic rights of both men and women.
Fighting gender based violence.
The war against sexual and gender based violence in Kenya is a long and uphill task that requires concerted efforts. Under- reporting due to either fear, diminished trust in the police or shame, inadequate investigations and poor evidence preservation contribute to the low number of prosecutions and convictions. This can change.
Education in all forms is one avenue of pursuing this change. Making victims understand their rights and that there are mechanisms to address their plight and that they can do something to overhaul machismo and patriarchy will go a long way. Harmful cultural practices and religious traditions have to be dropped for the purposes of human rights. Education will also empower women, who are mostly the victims, towards economic development.
Law enforcers and the judicial system in Kenya should come out more strongly and indiscriminately in their mandate to provide security and justice in the society. Reforms need to be undertaken in the police sector to make it more accommodating to victims of sexual and gender based violence from either gender.
Provision of treatment for physical injuries, post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and emergency contraceptives, psycho-social support, counseling and protection to guide and help them through their recovery and foster their reintegration into the society. Proper healing in vital as research has proven that victims may go away with deep psychological wounds that affects their lives and of those around them. Also, men who experience such incidences are likely to become perpetrators and maintain and/or exacerbate the cycle of violence in the society.
Finally, public condemnation and rejection of the objectification of women and inappropriate sexual innuendos by our leaders and other actors will go a long way in demotivating sexual and gender based violence.
A USAID and UNICEF research shows that; 83% of women and girls in Kenya report one or more episodes of physical abuse in childhood, 75% of women Kenyan report having suffered from gender-based domestic violence in the homestead, the majority of Kenyan women believe it is acceptable for men to beat their spouses, 46% report at least one incident of sexual abuse as a child, 36% of rural women report having experienced Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 25% report losing their virginity by force. The Gender Violence Recovery Center (GVRC) indicates that 90% of violence against women are perpetrated by men.
The United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR, 1948) recognizes sexual and gender based violence as a human rights violation. The Constitution of Kenya's Chapter Four on The Bill of Rights guarantees every person the right and fundamental freedoms, safeguards women’s rights and also criminalizes abuse but there are reports of people using cultural, religious and other convictions to try and justify patriarchy and gender based violence/discrimination.
Unequal power relations, low-education levels, laxity in enforcing the law, emotional and psychological instability, alcohol and substance abuse and patriarchal traditions have been blamed for the cases of gender based violence in Kenya, causing body and psychological injury, denial of health and reproductive rights, education, social, cultural and economic rights of both men and women.
Fighting gender based violence.
The war against sexual and gender based violence in Kenya is a long and uphill task that requires concerted efforts. Under- reporting due to either fear, diminished trust in the police or shame, inadequate investigations and poor evidence preservation contribute to the low number of prosecutions and convictions. This can change.
Education in all forms is one avenue of pursuing this change. Making victims understand their rights and that there are mechanisms to address their plight and that they can do something to overhaul machismo and patriarchy will go a long way. Harmful cultural practices and religious traditions have to be dropped for the purposes of human rights. Education will also empower women, who are mostly the victims, towards economic development.
Law enforcers and the judicial system in Kenya should come out more strongly and indiscriminately in their mandate to provide security and justice in the society. Reforms need to be undertaken in the police sector to make it more accommodating to victims of sexual and gender based violence from either gender.
Provision of treatment for physical injuries, post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and emergency contraceptives, psycho-social support, counseling and protection to guide and help them through their recovery and foster their reintegration into the society. Proper healing in vital as research has proven that victims may go away with deep psychological wounds that affects their lives and of those around them. Also, men who experience such incidences are likely to become perpetrators and maintain and/or exacerbate the cycle of violence in the society.
Finally, public condemnation and rejection of the objectification of women and inappropriate sexual innuendos by our leaders and other actors will go a long way in demotivating sexual and gender based violence.