There was a rise in family-based crimes, offences and violations last year partly due to the circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A study by the National Research and Crime Centre (NCRC) revealed that there is a sustained prevalence and escalating trend of physical violence within the family set up orchestrated majorly by the male figure.
“There is likelihood of post Covid-19 period confounding the forms of family-based crimes and violations in the country because of the uncertainties and unpredictability of the pandemic,” the report states.
The study revealed that the number of gender-based violence cases recorded between January and June last year increased to 2,032 from 1,057 cases reported the previous year, an increase of 92.2 percent.
The study identifies the youth especially those faced with stresses of poverty and unemployment as the main perpetrators of family-based violence.
The most common forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) reported were assault (1,615 cases), rape and attempted rape (223), murder (131), indecent assault (63). Other forms included child neglect and early marriages.
About 71 percent of the 2,416 cases of GBV reported between January and June last year were female victims and the main perpetrators were identified as youthful males aged between 18 and 33 years who are in family or intimate partner relationships.
A total of 43,051 children were violated between January and June 2020 especially through child neglect, with 19,884 girls disempowered especially through neglect, abandonment and defilement.
The main perpetrators of violations of children rights and girl child dis-empowerment are immediate family members and extended family members followed by outsiders such as schoolmates, neighbours and lovers.
According to the report, root causes of violations of children’s rights and girl child dis-empowerment include death of parent, lack of parental care, poverty, broken family relationship, absentee parent, early pregnancies and marriages, among others.
The study was released yesterday at an event presided over by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
It also warned that there was a likelihood of increased teenage pregnancy, school dropout and juvenile delinquency.
“There is a link between dysfunctional socio-cultural value system within the family and the increasing cases of gender-based violence, violations of children’s rights and girl child disempowerment,” the report reads.
It however noted that there was observable variations and inconsistencies in data categorisation, capture and reporting among different agencies addressing issues of GBV and violations of children’s rights in the country.
“This causes disparity in reported (known to police) and unreported cases largely captured by other state departments, hence negating the spirit of integration and multi-agency approach in addressing public safety and security in Kenya,” the report states.
The report recommends a multi-pronged approach in fighting crime in the country, including economic empowerment.
“They (the youth) therefore need the right empowerment as opposed to subjection to the criminal justice processes of an offender.”
It adds that the National Government Administration Officials (NGAO) and county governments should hold regular exchange of ideas and set up local parenting and fatherhood clusters to fight against family based crimes and violation.
Others include strict regulation of gambling and online betting, and institutionalizing and empowering Nyumba Kumi, which has about 387,000 clusters in the country as a community based structure for alternative dispute resolution and first line responder to crimes and violations.
“There is need to formulate, plan and implement out-of-school programs for children across the country to keep them occupied,” it recommends.
Further the Ministry of Education need to deepen existing structures of guidance and counseling with a special focus on online guidance and counseling. There should also be school based child friendly mechanisms for reporting violations.
