160 girls show the way for victims of rape
What you need to know:
- Now, a groundbreaking partnership between the Kenya National Police Service, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, local child rape rescue centres, and the 160 Girls Project is ensuring that the High Court ruling is implemented.
- We have legal education workshops for community leaders such as chiefs, school principals, and religious leaders and the Girls for Justice training will ensure that a wide range of Kenyans are aware of the High Court’s landmark ruling and its implications for the girls in their communities.
In Kenya, one out of every three girls will be sexually assaulted before she turns 18. It is even worse when a survivor of sexual violence does not see their rapist face justice.
In some cases, this means living in the same neighbourhood or street as their attacker, or even the same house — having to face that person day in and day out, knowing that he is free to rape again.
While Kenya has excellent laws against defilement (rape of a minor), there have been challenges in the past with the enforcement of those laws and rapists have not been held accountable.
That changed when a group of 160 girls — all survivors of sexual violence — challenged the Kenyan State in court. They won. The High Court of Kenya ruled that police must enforce defilement laws and investigate, apprehend, and arrest perpetrators.
Now, a groundbreaking partnership between the Kenya National Police Service, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, local child rape rescue centres, and the 160 Girls Project is ensuring that the High Court ruling is implemented.
We have developed a 12-step defilement investigation procedure and are training police officers in how to use it and how to treat sexual assault survivors with respect and dignity.
We know this police training is working because local rape shelter partners have noticed a marked difference in the way police treat survivors and handle the investigation of defilement cases since receiving the 160 Girls training.
We recently launched the next phase of the 160 Girls Project. We have developed a first-of-its-kind mobile phone app designed to teach girls about their legal rights.
The app will also guide a girl, or her family or representatives, through the steps to be taken to ensure access to justice following a defilement so that perpetrators are held accountable.
We have launched the 160 Girls Public Legal Education initiative in four pilot districts across Kenya.
We have legal education workshops for community leaders such as chiefs, school principals, and religious leaders and the Girls for Justice training will ensure that a wide range of Kenyans are aware of the High Court’s landmark ruling and its implications for the girls in their communities.
The goal is to hold perpetrators accountable for their violence so that girls can live healthy, secure, and empowered lives.
Because we know that when girls are safe, they are able to attend school and participate fully in community life. When girls’ rights are made real, communities prosper.
Mr Boinnet is the Inspector-General of the National Police Service. Ms Mbogori is the chairperson of Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. Dr Sampson is the CEO, The Equality Effect.
