Reports indicate that vice remains widespread

Story by ZEDDY SAMBU
Publication Date: 11/29/2004

Every day, women are physically and sexually abused – an indication that violence against women is widespread in Kenya .

A crime that shocks and traumatises the victim, undermines the status of women in society, rape occurs in all social and ethnic groups and setups.

But it is largely suffered in silence. Rape victims often face great obstacles while trying to bring the offenders to justice. About seven per cent of Kenyan women and girls have reported a rape experience at some stage in childhood. According to statistics obtained from the Coalition on Violence Against Women, more than 30,000 girls could have been raped before they reached their 13th birthday.

"These include women who report the experience, without reporting any other form of sexual violence such as sexual insult or unwanted sexual touch," Covaw says in its annual report.

In 2003, prevalence was at its peak as early as 10 years, then followed a disproportionate rise at the onset of puberty for a majority of girls aged 12.

In 2004, however, there was a further a shift of these statistics with the rape of younger children of five years and under being on the rise.

"It appears to be a minimalist figure, yet this percentage is calculated for young girls from the most recent national census," the report added.

More than 45 per cent of rape cases occur in adult and late adult years beyond 45 years.

Another 32 per cent of the girls are raped during their teens while children account for more than 23 per cent of all the known cases as others go unreported each year.

On yearly averages, this distribution presents a biased picture – simply because the different stages in the life cycle comprise or cover different time scales. When annual average is applied, it paints a depressing picture.

Children are the majority with more than 9.6 percent, adolescence (23.1) per cent.

Cases of rapes during adult and late adult years comprise 4.1 per cent of all known incidence. Last year, Central Province led the pack of cases with more than 33 per cent.