"I live with my husband but I have since lost the desire for intimacy," these are the words of a sexual violence survivor who was affected by the 2007-2008 post-election violence.
The survivor who sought anonymity, took the stage to tell her story but could not say more for fear of condemnation
But with pain written all over her face, she was still courageous enough to speak about her ordeal.
"During the 2007-2008 post-election violence, I experienced trauma, which affected my intimacy life up to now," the survivor said.
She was joined by others who spoke during a community engagement in Kisumu.
During the engagement, survivors, predominantly women, highlighted the challenges they encountered daily, shedding light on the pressing issues that needed to be addressed.
Some of the challenges raised by the survivors included discrimination, abandonment, stigma and social isolation.
"Some healthcare providers lacked empathy and asked hurtful questions when they were handling patients which brought more trauma," one of the survivors said.
Another survivor said her husband sleeps with a panga every day.
"He sleeps with it by the side of the bed for fear of a recurrence of what happened in 2007-2008," she said.
"This is scary. I fear he may use it on me one day."
Over 1000 persons were killed and over 1,200 women were raped during the post violence.
THEIR REQUESTS
Brought together by their experiences, the survivors had a set of requests that could pave the way for healing and empowerment.
The requests included compensation from the government, calling for equitable justice for all survivors.
They also want government-led counselling services, and qualified professionals to guide them on their journey to recovery.
The survivors also emphasised the essential need for personalised psychosocial support, financial independence and the ability to build a brighter future.
"We also need female healthcare professionals and increased representation and comfort when sharing our stories," one of them said.
