- Passaris said some girls have even been murdered over sextortion.
- She noted that cases like sex for grades, sex for fish, sex for jobs are all extortion.
Image: FILE
Sextortion might soon be a thing of the past in a new push by female legislators.
This is after Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris on Tuesday led a delegation of women and other leaders to Parliament building where they are to deliver the petition.
Passaris is set to table a petition in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
The petition seeks to crimanilise sextortion in a bid to protect women's dignity.
Sextortion refers to the act of requesting one for sex in return for jobs or other favours.
“We want to make it criminal. It is degrading to women yet it is not covered in the penal code,” Passaris said.
She noted that cases like sex for grades, sex for fish, sex for jobs are all extortion.
Passaris said some girls have even been murdered over sextortion.
“We want anyone asking for sex in return for a job or promotion to be in jail. We want to make sure our women and girls are protected,” she said.
Passaris was optimistic that collaborative effort between Parliament and the Civil Society can bring an end to sextortion.
She said sextortion is happening in all the relevant sectors.
“By the end of 2024 we aim to have sextortion to be punishable by law in the penal code,” Passaris said.
Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi said she had observed that Kenyans in informal sector like Kawangware and Kangemi face sextortion when seeking water.
She said due to water rationing, people residing in these areas receive water at 2am hence women are forced to go out for water.
Elachi said due to the long queues at 2am, some women end being facing sextortion to get water.
“My plea to Nairobi water, if you are rationing water, bring it at daytime not at 2am. Or bring it in the evening,” Elachi said.
Elachi said the petition set to be tabled in Parliament seeks to make amendments to the penal code, adding that they are hoping to get the support of the Speaker.
The petition has been signed by over 100 women from across the country.
Suba South MP Caroli Omondi who took part in drafting the amendments said sometimes those in position of power assault and harass those beneath them
He said this happens to all genders adding that both men and women need to fight sextortion.
“Sometimes it is men in positions of power harassing women and sometimes it is women harassing men that report to them,” Omondi said.
The survivors of sextortion said the vice takes away their dignity adding that their bodies are not to be misused.
Petition to criminalise sextortion to be tabled in Parliament
Female MPs seek to criminalise sextortion, protect women's dignity