Survey: Husbands, intimate partners biggest GBV offenders

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics(KNBS) report shows that 34 per cent of women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15.

Information was obtained from women aged 15–49 on their experience of violence committed by any perpetrator, including current and former spouses or other intimate partners.

The most common perpetrators of physical violence among women who have ever been married or have ever had an intimate partner according to the report, are their current husband or intimate partner.

54 per cent and 34 per cent of women who have ever been married or had intimate partners were subject to physical violence from current husbands and former husbands or intimate partners respectively.

"Sixteen per cent have experienced such violence often or sometimes in the 12 months before the survey," the report showed.

The percentage of women who experienced physical violence in the 12 months before the survey between 2008–09 and 2022 declined from 24 per cent to 16 per cent.

The report noted that physical violence increases with age.

"Experience of physical violence among women increases with age. 20 per cent of women aged 15–19 and 42 per cent of women aged 40–49 have experienced physical violence since age 15," the report showed.

The most common perpetrators of physical violence among women who have never been married or have never had an intimate partner were found to be teachers (33 per cent), mothers or stepmothers (25 per cent), and fathers or step-fathers (17 per cent). 

The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (2022 KDHS) was implemented by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) collaborating with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other stakeholders.

Data was collected from February 17 to July 31, 2022.

The sample for the 2022 KDHS report was drawn from the Kenya Household Master Sample Frame (K-HMSF).

The sample size was computed at 42,300 households, with 25 households selected per cluster, which resulted in 1,692 clusters spread across the country, 1,026 clusters in rural areas, and 666 in urban areas.

The survey was done through a questionnaire where they used the household questionnaire, the woman’s questionnaire, the man’s questionnaire, and the biomarker questionnaire.