A Glimpse Into Violence Against Women in Kenya

Kenyan world record holder Agnes Tirop was found stabbed to death at her home in the western town of Iten on October 13, 2021. The fact that the police arrested her husband in connection with the death has brought the subject of domestic violence to the fore in Kenya.

Domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence, is a global public health problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that almost one third of women experience some form of physical and or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. According to the WHO, as many as 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners.

In Kenya, according to the most recent national data (which was published in 2014), overall, about 41% of women reported having experienced physical or sexual violence from their husbands or partners in their lifetime. About two-fifths of those women reported physical injuries from the violence.

There's a lack of up-to-date national data on the prevalence of domestic violence in Kenya. But time-bound data shows how often the violence could be happening.

The 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey indicated that about one in four women reported physical or sexual violence from a partner in the 12 months before the survey. This means it could be more prevalent and widespread than thought.

Efforts to prevent and respond to cases of domestic violence against women in Kenya have been there for some years but the progress has been too slow. Part of this is due to weak institutional capacities.

To address domestic violence, men, boys and community leaders must be sensitised on the rights of women through community mobilisation activities by the community health volunteers, women groups and civil society organisations. Women and girls must also be educated on their right to be free of violence and shown where, and how, to seek services if it does happen, population and reproductive health researcher Yohannes Dibaba Wado shares his insights in The Conversation.