The National Gender and Equality Commission has expressed concerns about the emerging trends of domestic violence and sexual harassment directed at women, girls and boys, particularly in private spaces.
Commission chairperson Joyce Mutinda said the country has in the recent past been experiencing increased cases of abductions of teenage girls and boys who are then exposed to sexual abuse, pornographic material, drugs and substance abuse.
Sexual attacks directed at girls with disabilities and older women are also on the rise. There are more cases of online sexual harassment as well.
“We have also observed an emerging culture of silence among victims of gender-based violence, perhaps due to confinement of persons at home and a feeling of hopelessness," Mutinda said.
"These incidences are estimated to increase during the December festive season when most families and communities venture into fun and celebrations.”
The Covid-19 pandemic, like many other emergencies, she said, has aggravated the situation.
A study by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics this year showed that 23.6 per cent of Kenyans have witnessed or heard cases of domestic violence in their communities since March this year.
Mutinda said they are worried that GBV cases may continue to increase if deliberate and innovative measures are not put in place to effectively respond, manage and prevent the attacks.
She made the remarks at the beginning of the 2020 International Campaign against Gender-Based Violence, dubbed "16 Days of Activism".
“We applaud government agencies, county governments, development partners, the private sector, non-state actors, the faith sector and the communities for their continued programming, funding and strengthening of interventions geared towards the elimination of GBV,” Mutinda said.
She urged state and non-state actors to focus on emerging drivers of GBV during activism campaigns.
