• Nairobi, Mombasa and Uasin Gishu counties reported the highest number of sexual offences cases particularly defilement.
• Report warns that children who are homeschooled, play games online and use social media during school closures may be targeted by predators.
Image: AKELLO ODENYO
Sexual abuse cases have risen substantially since Kenya announced the first case of coronavirus.
A Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) document on the impact of the pandemic on crime attributes the increased sexual crimes to people having too much time on their hands and children being out of school.
Meanwhile, drug abuse and trafficking rates have gone down, with some such as heroin having increased in street value but with decreased purity.
Security agencies have reported a general drop in the rate of sexual assault nationally. The office of the DPP recorded 95 sexual offences between March 16 and 31.
Nairobi and Kiambu counties remain the crime hotspots, recording the highest number of robberies and other crimes. This translates to 41 per cent of the total 265 cases reported in that period.
Robbery and murder cases were the most reported after sexual offences.
Nairobi, Mombasa and Uasin Gishu counties reported the highest number of sexual offences, particularly defilement.
The Global Initiative document published last month indicates that many people who are stuck in their homes are spending a lot of time on the internet, specifically pornographic websites and thereafter try to fulfil their sexual fantasies.
“Child sexual exploitation content is being shared more. Some of the recipients of the material may want to actualise what they see and children being vulnerable easily become victims,” the policy document reads.
It warns that children who are homeschooled, play games online and use social media during school closures may be targeted and groomed by sexual predators as they spend extended time online.
Controlling people’s freedom of movement has become an essential priority for the government as it seeks to slow the spread of the virus.
With restricted movement, sexual predators now prey on the people close to them. Some who depended on commercial sex workers are also cut off by the imposed curfew and social distancing practices.
GI-TOC explained that while the current restrictions have slowed down many criminal activities, it has also presented an opportunity for other gangs to reorganise and find new ways of operation.
“As the attention of police forces and policymakers is diverted elsewhere, some criminal groups have quickly used this opportunity to scale up their activities,” the document reads.
Globally, drug and human trafficking has reduced due to strict border control to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the document notes.
The empty streets and greater presence of law enforcement officers on patrol to control movement have also made it difficult for dealers who thrive in busy streets to operate without being spotted.
Since March 16, the ODPP had only three drug-related cases and one case of human trafficking in the country.
GI-TOC believes a reduction in Chinese exports to the rest of the world is taking its toll on the revenues of criminal groups.
“China is the leading source of counterfeit and illicit trade goods globally, and with Chinese factories on lockdown, criminal enterprises find themselves without alternative sources. Hard drug producers also rely on raw chemicals from China,” the policy document notes.
Crime may increase after the urgencies of the pandemic are solved if the government does not address the needs of the poor and most affected by the measures imposed. The report emphasised that dealing with the robberies without looking at the root cause will only be a vicious cycle with the poor suffering the most.
It also notes that while police may struggle to fulfil their usual mandates as social distancing measures, lack of trust between them and communities is likely to make citizens less willing to abide by new lockdown measures.
“The level of public legitimacy enjoyed by security institutions will determine their power to make or break this response,” the report posits.
“In places where state reach may be weak, agreements with criminal bosses and groups may be tempting to enforce social distancing measures and, eventually, public order.”
The report cautioned that the method may solve short-term problems but become more strengthened in the long run.
Between March 16 and 31, ODPP recorded six cases of obtaining money by false pretences but GI-TOC foresees an increase in the cases as crime shifts online.
Being unable to go to the shops – or mere boredom alleviated by some retail therapy online – will increase people’s exposure to illicitly sourced, counterfeit and illicitly traded goods, they noted.
“Cybercrime has emerged rapidly as a risk area that could have long-term implications for the growth of criminal markets."
Edited by R.Wamochie