The government needs to invest more in child centres and safe houses for persons experiencing sexual and gender-based violence, experts say.
Dr Philomena Ndambuki, a psychologist based in Nairobi, she said children and families should be assisted to grow and develop positively, where they will feel physical, intellectually and socially safe.
“If victims of GBV had a place where they would run to, they would literally run. Unfortunately, the government is not doing enough to invest more in having safe houses and more child centres for such victims,” she said.
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, abusive relationships are extremely complex situations, and it takes a lot of courage to leave. As a result, leaving is often the most dangerous period of time for survivors of abuse.
Abuse is about power and control. When a survivor leaves their abusive relationship, they threaten the power and control their partner has established over the survivor’s agency, which may cause the partner to retaliate in harmful ways.
They say no matter the circumstances, survivors deserve to be supported in their decision-making and empowered to reclaim control over their own lives.
Common reasons why people stay in abusive relationships include fear, shame, normalised abuse, intimidation, low self-esteem, lack of resources, children and love.
For children who have witnessed violence in their homes, Ndambuki said they are at a greater risk of internalising pain, which is going to affect their development completely.
“The child is going to feel uncomfortable, and the worst thing parents can do is to have violence at home and to have it in front of children. We are talking about physical, moral, emotional and social distraction,” she said.
