A new report by Aga Khan University and partners highlights the damaging effects of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) on female athletes in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Emotional trauma tops the list, with 52% of Tanzanian athletes, 50% in Uganda, and 40% in Kenya affected.
Deterioration of performance in sports was reported equally in Kenya and Uganda at 20%, and 12% in Tanzania.
Withdrawal or quitting from sports due to SGBV stands at 19% in Tanzania, 17% in Kenya, and 13% in Uganda.
Physical injuries, intimate partner violence, and domestic violence were also reported, with Tanzania and Uganda each recording 6% for injuries.
Kenyan athletes reported 4% for intimate partner violence and 10% for domestic violence.
The report reveals the urgent need for protective measures and policy reforms to safeguard female athletes across the region from SGBV in sports settings.
