This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
Kenya's real estate industry has been marred by a disturbing trend of sexual harassment, with a new report showing that over 90% of women in the sector have experienced some form of harassment.
According to the report, which was based on a survey conducted by Women in Real Estate Estate (Wire), 82% of women in the industry have witnessed sexual harassment, while 60.8% have experienced it in the workplace.
The survey, which targeted Wire's members and other women in the industry, found that verbal harassment was the most common form of sexual harassment, affecting 90% of respondents, followed by physical harassment at 64%.
Shockingly, a majority of the women who reported being sexually harassed said the perpetrator was someone close to them, with 64.7% saying it was a colleague or fellow student.
Other perpetrators included bosses (33.3%), teachers (31.4%), friends (25.5%), and strangers (15.7%).
Despite the prevalence of sexual harassment, the report found that only 12.9% of reported cases were acted upon, while 21.3% of offenders went unpunished.
The trauma caused by sexual harassment was also evident, with 69% of respondents experiencing some form of trauma, including insecurity, diminished confidence, increased fear, and distrust in men.
The report recommended creating a culture of respect and zero-tolerance to sexual harassment, as well as public education and institutional policies to address the issue.
