The Bomet County gender sector working group has expressed concern over high prevalence of HIV positive cases, teenage pregnancies and female genital mutilation in the region, citing the four vices as push factors for Gender Based Violence (GBV).
During the marking of the International Day against GBV at Silibwet Trading Centre in Bomet Central, the Director for State Department for Gender, Lily Bosire, said GBV was now a thorny issue for the Government and needed concerted efforts from all relevant stakeholders to stem it.
Bosire said GBV in Bomet County is so dire that in the last nine months, 4,365 teenage pregnancies have been reported.
She said the trend might escalate following long holiday that predisposed school children to abuse, as many parents would often forget to put in place child protection measures during festivities.
In 2021, she said, 11, 000 girls between 11 and 19 years age bracket got pregnant, saying the girls were abused either knowingly or not while in rare cases some were drugged in social gathering such as weddings and birthday parties.
“We are telling parents to be on the watch to ensure that their children are not sexually assaulted. Men and boys too are not out of danger as there are several reported cases of sodomy,” regretted Bosire.
Also in 2021, Bosire noted women were also raped while others were subjected to female genital mutilation, a vice which she cited to be prevalent in Chepalungu and Bomet East Sub-Counties.
She said that while there was no known medical benefit of the cut, victims faced life threatening consequences later in life.
“We are mobilizing resources to provide alternative rites of passage where boys and girls are taught positive cultural values and life skills such as the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse”, she said.
Bosire further stated that those who hid handicapped children exposed them to GBV due to their vulnerable nature.
She lauded the police for their efforts in arresting offenders and public hospitals which she said provided medical evidence that have seen several success stories of perpetrators being given deserving sentences in court.
Caroline Kirui of the Red Cross Society of Kenya said the 16-day plan on sensitizing the public will revolve around having serious discussions on how to unite both the stakeholders and the community in the fight against GBV.
Kirui said men are to be mobilized to be gender champions saying they played a key role especially in kangaroo courts where they are paid to drop GBV cases.
“We would like to see that all cases of GBV are reported and that is the only way we shall curb future cases. We will also like to see all reported cases go through the court process and ensure that the survivors get necessary assistance such as psychosocial support and restoration process.”
Assistant County Commissioner, Mr Martin Jakoyo, said the Government had sensitized Chiefs, village elders and Nyumba Kumi members on issues related to GBV.
Jakoyo said the government had also partnered with the local religious organizations in the fight against GBV.
He urged members of the public to go to court and give testimony against perpetrators of GBV saying many cases collapsed due to lack of witnesses.
Beverly Ogombe of the National Organization of Peer Educators (NOPE), said they provided shelter for GBV survivors to avoid victimization back home and also avoid being compromised by their attackers.
Ogombe said while many victims feared to report cases, NOPE provided free legal services through probono lawyers.
By Kipngeno Korir
