Digital spaces fuel rise in online sexual abuse of women amid weak safeguards

Weaknesses in law, policy and enforcement have left many victims of online sexual exploitation without meaningful protection or justice. [Courtesy] Digital technology has transformed communication and opportunity, but it has also created new avenues for sexual exploitation and abuse. In Kenya, the growing intersection between technology and gender-based violence has left many women and girls exposed to harm, from online grooming and sexual coercion to image-based abuse and technology-facilitated sex trafficking. Equality Now, in partnership with the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART Kenya), Life Bloom Services International and Trace Kenya, has released a new report titled "Experiencing Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Kenya: Survivor Narratives and Legal Responses", alongside a policy brief titled "Not Just Online: Addressing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Across Digital and Physical Realities." The report forms part of a three-country study covering Kenya, India and the United States, capturing survivor testimonies and assessing how legal and policy frameworks are responding to technology-facilitated gender-based violence. It draws on twenty in-depth survivor interviews and several Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with justice actors, advocates and community stakeholders. While the accounts offer invaluable insights, the researchers note that the experiences of survivors in remote or marginalised areas may still be underrepresented. The findings reveal that online sexual exploitation and abuse are widespread and deeply rooted in Kenya's broader patterns of gender inequality and socio-economic vulnerability, including poverty, unemployment and weak governance. Perpetrators exploit these realities to lure victims through digital platforms, while survivors remain trapped by shame, fear of retaliation and mistrust of institutions. Systemic weaknesses in law, policy and enforcement have left many without meaningful protection or justice. Equality Now's Senior Legal Advisor on Digital Rights, Amanda Manyame, said the study interviewed 20 women and girls from different regions and backgrounds in Kenya who had experienced online sexual exploitation and abuse. She said the number of affected women is difficult to determine because of barriers to reporting and stigma."Online abuse is not just a digital issue. It is part of a continuum of social and economic factors that keep women and girls silenced in society," she said. Deceptive offers She explained that poverty, unemployment and displacement often leave young women vulnerable to deceptive online job offers, some of which lead to trafficking and long-term sexual exploitation abroad. "Perpetrators use social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram to target women seeking opportunities," she said. "Many end up trapped in exploitation rings in countries such as Thailand or Dubai after being promised employment." Cherie Oyier, the Women Digital Rights Programme Lead at KICTANet, said survivors often feel powerless because of how digital platforms respond to abuse. "Most survivors do not know how to report harmful content, and when they do, their complaints are often ignored or take too long to be resolved," she said. "Social media platforms have been slow to act and lack transparency in how they handle harmful content." Oyier said the gaps also exist within Kenya's legal system. "We have several laws like the Data Protection Act and the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, but they were not drafted from a gendered lens," she explained. "They focus more on cybersecurity than human rights, leaving gaps that perpetrators use to escape justice." Mercy Otieno from Haart Kenya said that online and offline exploitation are interconnected. "When we talk about sexual exploitation, it is not just physical. Online exploitation is equally damaging and often linked to physical abuse," she said. Otieno added that perpetrators often take advantage of children and young women through social media, where they groom victims through gifts, job offers or friendship. "Perpetrators have now devised ways of reaching children through platforms like TikTok and Facebook," she said. "Before they know it, victims are coerced into sending images or videos that are later used to blackmail them." Macmillan Ochieng from Trace Kenya said unemployment and gender inequality are major drivers of vulnerability. "Many young people are desperate for income, and traffickers take advantage of this by making false promises of jobs or quick money," he said. "Social norms also discourage victims from reporting abuse because they fear shame or blame from their communities." Ochieng said Trace Kenya continues to raise awareness at the grassroots level and work with local committees to fast-track cases when they are reported. "Creating awareness and digital literacy is key if we are to protect communities from online sexual exploitation and abuse," he said. Katherine Wanjohi, CEO of Life Bloom Services International, spoke about the need for continued psychosocial support for survivors. "Many women we interviewed had never received counselling support despite years of trauma," she said. "Psychological healing is essential for reintegration and recovery." Wanjohi said trauma counselling should be integrated into all programmes that deal with survivors of exploitation. "Funding for continued mental health support is critical. Recovery does not have a timeline," she said. "We must invest in trauma-informed and survivor-centred counselling to help women rebuild their lives." Heminigilder Mugeni, Assignments Planning Editor at KTN, Standard Group, said journalists play an important role in shaping public awareness and accountability. "The media must tell stories that are sensitive, factual and solution-driven," she said. "We are moving towards journalism that not only highlights survivors' experiences but also offers pathways to change." Mugeni said collaboration between journalists, legal experts and advocacy groups is essential. "As reporters, we need partners who can help us unpack complex stories and push for policy reform. The media can hold policymakers, digital platforms and law enforcement accountable through investigative and solution-based reporting," she added. The accompanying policy brief builds on the survivor narratives by identifying gaps in Kenya's laws, institutions and regional cooperation. It calls for stronger coordination among justice agencies, better digital forensic capacity and survivor-centred systems that prioritise protection over punishment. The brief also outlines the need for legal and policy reforms to explicitly recognise emerging online harms such as deepfakes and image-based abuse, and to hold digital platforms accountable for content moderation and reporting.

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