Covid-19: Intimate partner violence on the rise
A couple fighting. Fida-Kenya says physical, emotional and economic intimate partner violence the most common forms of SGBV experienced by women and girls during Covid-19 pandemic. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Physical, emotional and economic intimate partner violence are the most common forms of Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) experienced by women and girls, shows latest data from Kenya Federation of Women Lawyers -Kenya (Fida-Kenya).
In the statistics it released recently, physical, emotional, mental, economic and intimate partner violence account for 67 out of 289 cases reported through its toll free number between April 15 and May 3.
Fida-Kenya attributed the high number to the many hours spent with the abusive partners due to the dusk-to-dawn curfew and restricted movements.
OTHER CASES
During the period, distress calls from 117 women concerned over custody and maintenance of children were also made.
Other reported cases involved in-laws evicting widows and physically assaulting them, occurring mainly in the Western region; property disputes and sexual harassment at the workplace.
Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa are the main counties from which the cases were most reported.
Others were from the counties of Kajiado, Kiambu, Kilifi, Uasin Gishu and Taita Taveta.
The cases were also reported from Vihiga, Bungoma, Lamu, Siaya, Kitui and Nakuru counties.
Away from SGBV, Fida-Kenya also received requests for psychological support from Covid-19 patients as well as family members who were nursing psychological trauma from undignified burial of their relatives who had succumbed to the disease.
The organisation is now calling upon the police and the Judiciary to protect girls and women by arresting the perpetrators and prosecuting them.
It also urges the national and county governments to establish safe spaces and shelters to offer survivors temporary refuge.
