Set up sexual violence recovery centres in every county, TJRC recommends

By CAROLINE RWENJI

Kenya: Each of the 47 counties should have a gender violence recovery centre to cater for medical and counselling needs of sexual violence survivors and victims, the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission has recommended.

In a report released on Tuesday, the commission says every county should be able to provide comprehensive services to sexual violence victims, adding that majority of victims of sexual violence were not able to obtain the crucial medical attention (commonly known as PEP — Post-Exposure Prophylaxis). PEP is required to be administered within 72 hours after the violation to prevent HIV/Aids and sexually transmitted infections as well as unwanted pregnancies.

According to TJRC, even fewer victims attend follow up medical check-ups required for treatment.

Sexual violence was found to occur in the country during times of conflict like the post-election violence of 2007/08 and during peaceful times.

According to Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 2008/9, 12 per cent of women said their first sexual encounters were against their will. The survey further reported that one in every five women face sexual violence while 37 per cent of women accuse current and former boyfriends of such attacks.

Contrary to the traditional belief that women and girls are the sole victims of sexual violence, men and boys as well as persons living with disabilities have been targeted.

Records from the Gender Violence and Recovery Centre for over a period of three years indicated that 2,329 female sexual violence victims were treated at the facility, compared to 102 male victims. GVRC revealed that the age of sexual violence survivors keeps getting younger with infants as young as a month old being sexually molested.

Breakdown of order

“Just three weeks ago we discharged a two-and-a-half-year-old girl defiled by her father. This child had to undergo theatre procedures to repair her,” quoted GVRC official.

A witness who appeared to TJRC during its public hearings also narrated how her casual worker, on two occasions, sodomised her mentally ill son.

Sexual assaults were also found to happen in schools and other learning institutions where teachers and lecturers take advantage of their students. Sexual violence was found to worsen during conflict due to the breakdown of social order, with perpetrators taking advantage of the chaos.

Kenya, over the years, has had different episodes of chaos that have seen women and children fall victim to sexual abuse. Such instances include the struggle for independence, cattle rustling, conflict over resources, ethnic and politically instigated violence and conflict arising from militia activities.

“Witness accounts revealed that victims of sexual violence were ‘collateral damage’ because no matter which ethnic community the women came from, they indiscriminately suffered sexual violence,” states the TJRC report.

The offence was also found to happen frequently during cattle rustling and security operations like at the Mt Elgon. Many victims suffered trauma, impeding their ability to talk about their experience, with cases of women who never spoke for days after being violated.

Many failed to report their cases or come out public due to fear of shame and stigmatisation, or the fear of being shunned by family members.