This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
Kenya Seeks International Cooperation to Combat Rising Child Abuse ¶
Kenya is facing a growing crisis of child abuse, with many cases involving foreign perpetrators. The country's anti-human trafficking and child protection unit is working tirelessly to prevent and investigate these crimes, but it needs international cooperation to succeed.
According to Mueni Mutisya, the head of Kenya's anti-human trafficking and child protection unit, which was launched in 2016, the unit has rescued 230 children from local and international perpetrators between 2018 and 2019.
Published on July 8, 2020, the unit's efforts are hindered by the fact that many Kenyans, particularly in poorer coastal communities, view white people as superior beings and are more likely to trust them. This makes children vulnerable to exploitation by abusers from the west.
"The black people here view the whites as superior beings, and the whites know that and they take advantage," Mutisya said.
With the coronavirus lockdown exacerbating the problem, there are concerns that online abuse will increase. The WeProtect Global Alliance has issued a briefing warning of a "greater risk of sexual exploitation online, including sexual coercion, extortion and manipulation by offenders" during the pandemic.
Paul Adhoch, the executive director of Mombasa-based anti-trafficking NGO Trace Kenya, warned that perpetrators are using social media to groom children and wait for the right moment to strike. "Perpetrators are busy grooming children, capturing them and waiting for the right moment when this lockdown is done," he said.
Adhoch also highlighted the role of "beach staders" - men and women who approach tourists on the beach to sell them activities or experiences - in facilitating child abuse. These individuals often act as fixers for abusers and are seen as local heroes in poorer coastal communities for connecting teenage girls and boys with wealthy tourists.
"These little gifts and privileges make the children feel privileged, until it dawns on them that they are actually victims of abuse," Adhoch said.
Kenya's anti-human trafficking and child protection unit is using digital forensics to protect children and track potential perpetrators. The unit has also received funding from the UK and gets alerts from the British government if someone with a record of child sexual abuse travels to Kenya.
Mutisya called on other countries to provide similar support, saying that it would help prevent further offending.
