UNESCO raises alarm over sexual violence in Kenya

NAIROBI, KENYA: A new report shows boys and girls in Kenya get sexually molested at the age of 14 and below.

The report titled Hidden in Plain Sight: A Statistical Analysis of Violence Against Children says a significant number of adolescent girls were first-time victims of sexual violence before their 15th birthday.

It also reveals that sexual initiation of girls is more likely to be forced if it occurs at younger ages.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) report released last month also finds that among adolescent girls who have been subjected to sexual violence, the most likely perpetrator was an intimate partner.

"Among men aged 14 to 24 in Kenya who first had sexual intercourse before age of 18, nine per cent reported that it happened unwillingly," reads the report. According to the report, about 38 per cent of girls had their first sexual encounter while less than 10 years old.

Another 51 per cent had reported they were first sexual victims between age 10 and 14. Some 12 per cent of adolescent girls said they do not know the age they were first time victims of sexual violence. The study was conducted in 21 countries in Africa, including Tanzania and Uganda.

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"The majority of girls reported that they were victimised for the first time between age 15 and 19. However, a substantial proportion of adolescent girls experienced sexual violence for the first time at younger ages," reads the report.

It adds: "An analysis of data from the entire sample of girls and women aged 15 to 49 confirms that a large share of them experienced their first incident of sexual violence when they were adolescents."

"By far the most commonly reported perpetrators of violence against girls across all countries (sampled) are intimate partners," reads the report.

FIRST ENCOUNTER

It indicates that men in Kenya and Zimbabwe said their first incident of sexual violence took place before age 16. About 25 per cent of men in Kenya said their first sexual encounter took place when they were under 14 years. Another 37 per cent said their first encounter was between age 14 and 15.

Some 38 per cent said they had their first sexual violence cases aged between 16 and 17.

The study indicates that the prevalence of reported sexual violence by a stranger is highest in Nigeria and Zambia, both at 27 per cent, Rwanda at 20 per cent and Uganda 19 per cent. Kenya followed at 16 per cent.