CS raises alarm over huge cases of gender-based violence
Margaret Mogaka, a nurse at Kisii Level Five Hospital in charge of the Gender-Based Violence desk, attends to Rebecca Kwamboka who was attacked by her estranged husband. Gender-based violence cases are high in Kilifi County. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- She, people affected by such violence, including sexual abuse, also had high chances of being infected with HIV, besides suffering emotional turmoil.
- County Commissioner Joseph Keter said 298 cases of defilement were reported at the Kilifi Police Stations in 2015.
A total of 800 gender-based violence cases have been recorded at the Kilifi County Hospital in the last six months of 2015.
Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki said the huge figure has made Kilifi the county with the highest number of such cases in the country.
“These cases are of concern to all of us,” Ms Kariuki said when she launched the hospital’s gender-based violence recovery centre on Friday.
She, people affected by such violence, including sexual abuse, also had high chances of being infected with HIV, besides suffering emotional turmoil.
“The future of children is destroyed the moment they are abused sexually and emotionally. We need to address the underlying causes of these high cases of violence, be it culture or behaviour,” she said.
She urged the Judiciary to hastily deal with the cases to ensure justice for the victims, and their recovery from the physical and emotional pain they suffered.
Medical social worker Raymond Katana said the recovery centre records an average of 30 cases of gender-based violence in a month. He added that pregnancies among girls aged between 12 and 16, defilement and rape are the most cases they have recorded.
County Commissioner Joseph Keter said 298 cases of defilement were reported at the Kilifi Police Stations in 2015.
