Cases of sexual violence and sodomy against young girls and boys on the rise in Kisumu County

There is a major concern over the increasing cases of sexual and gender based violence against young girls and boys below the age of 17 years in Kisumu County. According to the coordinator of the Gender Based Violence Centre at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral hospital, out of the 300 sexual violence cases reported at the facility since its establishment last year, 70% were young girls below the age of 17 years. He also revealed that cases of sodomy were also on the rise in Kisumu County but most of them went unreported due to fear of stigmatization.

Moreover, he revealed that 95% of the cases that have been recorded at the Centre involved females, with a few cases of sodomy involving children who are normally brought in by their parents. However, those involving older men went unreported due to fear of stigmatization.

What is worrying is that most perpetrators are now marrying their victims in the bid to cover up their evil deeds.

Male boda boda operators in Kisumu County have been cited as the main perpetrators of the heinous acts of sexual violence against young girls.

According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2014, Nyanza region has been highlighted as having the second highest rate of violence against women and girls. The statistics reveal that 53% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 years have experienced either physical or sexual violence in Nyanza which is the second highest rate after Western Kenya with 58%.

Sexual and gender based violence is a harmful act and a violation of human rights and should be stopped. It is a driving force of the HIV epidemic, particularly in Kisumu County.  Research has shown that women who have experienced sexual violence are up to three times more likely to be infected with HIV than those who have not.

Fighting to end violence against women should not be a job left for survivors alone because it’s a societal problem. Women are not the only victims, and men are not the only perpetrators. Ending sexual and gender-based violence is everyone's responsibility. It is time everyone in Kisumu County stood up and said enough is enough and started speaking out against sexual and gender based violence because silence promotes this heinous and inhumane act. Women and men must be fearless and break the silence surrounding sexual violence in Kisumu County.