This archive report was first published on 19 May 2020.
As Kenya continues to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, a shadow pandemic of domestic violence and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has emerged, with women and children being the main victims.
According to data from women's rights organisations, including the National Gender Helpline 1195, the number of cases reported through domestic violence hotlines has significantly increased since the lockdown began in mid-March.
Statistics from the 1195 hotline operated by Healthcare Assistance Kenya's (HAK) show that sexual violence against girls topped the list of reported cases, followed by rape of women. The helpline also recorded a high number of child neglect cases, with those of girls being higher.
Childline Kenya, an organisation that works with the government to protect children, has also reported a spike in abuse against minors, with defilement against girls surging.
It is time for the authorities to take action and address the challenge of SGBV before it grows into a more vicious monster. Constant messaging by the national and county governments, especially by key ministries such as Health, would be helpful in drawing attention to the problem.
County governments should take SGBV seriously, and while Nairobi leads, this shadow pandemic is prevalent in many counties, predominantly in Kiambu, Kisumu, Mombasa, Siaya, and Nakuru.
