The Complex Reality of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in Kenya.

2024 has been a rollercoaster year. Cases of gender-based violence and femicide in Kenya have been in the headlines for much of the year. The appalling nature of targetted violence, sexual assault and gruesome murders of innocent women leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

Gender-based violence has been an everlasting headache in Kenya for decades. Increased online activism against it has helped to bring more attention to the problem in recent days. As the world celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on the 25th of November, we perhaps get the chance to take stock of the year that has been in terms of the lives lost to gender-based violence and femicide.

2024 started on a grim note with the murders of Rita Waeni and Scarlet Wahu in short-stay Air BnB facilities. The two murders, especially that of Waeni, received extensive media coverage but they were far from the only victims of femicide. In January alone, it is believed that no less than 10 cases of femicide were reported all over the country. Other reported cases include those of Christine Ouma (in Homabay), Bridgit Ochieng (in Kisumu), Rebecca Muthoni (in Laikipia), Grace Wangari (in Kasarani) and Lucy Wambui Jenkinns (in Laikipia).

In September, Rebecca Cheptegei, a Ugandan athlete was murdered by her ex-boyfriend Dickson Ndiema.

Nonetheless, many more cases of femicide and gender-based violence go unreported and the number of victims is a lot more than is in the public domain.

What counts as gender-based violence and femicide?

Gender-based violence can be defined as acts of physical violence, verbal abuse, sexual harassment, psychological violence, sexual violence, socio-economic violence, domestic violence, or harmful cultural practices (FGM/Early Child Marriage), including the threats of such acts. These acts result in physical, sexual or psychological harm to those involved (mostly women). An important facet of gender-based violence is that it is asexual; it affects and is perpetuated by both male and female genders.

However, it is more prevalent among women as they happen to be more vulnerable than men. Furthermore, men also happen to be more aggressive than women, and hence are the more probable perpetrators of gender-based violence.

Femicide can be termed as an extreme manifestation of gender-based violence as it entails the targeted murders of women because they are women.

Violence against women arises from the domination of women by men to the reprehensive power dynamic present between the two genders. It is often the result of a deliberate effort by aggressive men to take advantage of the assailable nature of women. This stems from the subordinate social status of women in many communities, which is often perpetuated by antiquated cultural norms that are diminutive to the place of women in society.

The gender dynamic is crucial. These acts of violence are acted out in conformity to the vulnerable nature of the gender of the victim.

Vulnerability is perhaps the most primordial aspect of gender-based violence. While anyone can be a victim of gender-based violence, certain social groups are more likely to be victims than others.

The Beijing Platform for Action highlights the most vulnerable women to gender-based violence as; the elderly, the displaced, women from indigenous communities, refugees and migrants, women living in poverty (especially in rural or remote areas) and women in detention.

The dynamics of male vulnerability in the context of gender-based violence are mostly similar but can have distinct differences that arise from their expected gender roles.

Gender-based violence is prevalent among men who don’t ascribe to the traditional norms of ‘masculinity’ and are deemed to be weaker and more vulnerable.

The most common victims of male gender-based violence are young boys who are taken advantage of by other males (often older than the victims) with more established male roles in society.

Cases of gender-based violence by women against men often occur in a marital/relationship setting when the gender roles of men are undermined. In most settings, men are expected to be the providers and heads of the family. Men who cannot perform these roles for any particular reason are more likely to be subjected to physical, psychological and sexual harassment amongst other forms of gender-based violence. These can be referred to as cases of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).

IPV is the most prevalent form of gender-based violence for both men and women.

Nonetheless, it should be noted that cases of gender-based violence are more widespread among women, and by orders of magnitude.

While the sex and gender of a victim is a crucial factor in the perpetuation of gender-based violence, other predisposing factors exist as well. These factors include;

• Poverty and Economic Hardship: People (especially women) from low-income households are more likely to be victims of gender-based violence.
• Conflict, War and Displacement: Cases of gender-based violence are more extensive in countries and regions going through periods of political instability. Refugees and migrant women are more often than not likely to be victims of gender-based violence.
• Age: Older individuals and adolescents (especially women) are the most vulnerable victims of gender-based violence.
• Prevalence of Harmful Cultural Gender Stereotypes: Unfortunately, many communities especially in the least developed and developing countries still retain derogatory cultural norms against women that harm their liberty, freedom and independence. This makes them to be more likely victims of gender-based violence.
• Lack of Legal Protection: A World Bank report in 2017 on SDG 5 (addresses gender equality) found that in 49 countries there is no specific law against domestic violence, in 45 there is no legislation to address sexual harassment, and 112 countries do not criminalize marital rape.
• Unstable Families: Women and men from unstable upbringings and family settings are more likely to be the perpetrators and/or victims of gender-based violence.

More often than not, potential victims of gender-based violence are predisposed to several of these factors. For example, an older woman who is a refugee in a least-developed country is more likely to be a victim of gender-based violence. The International Rescue Committee refers to this as Intersectionality, which plays a huge role in determining a response mechanism to deal with cases of gender-based violence.

Gender-based violence occurs in multiple societal settings and is carried out by a wide variety of agents (close relatives, intimate partners, close and casual confidants and friends and strangers). It occurs on all levels of socio-economic classes and in multiple cultural settings.

Gender-based violence and Femicide in Kenya in numbers.

• 34% of women have experienced physical violence at some point in their lives. 13% of women have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives.
• Domestic violence is the most widespread form of gender-based violence in Kenya. 41% of ever-married women and 11% of ever-married men have experienced physical and/or sexual violence.
• 1/3 of women and 1/5 of men have experienced sexual violence before turning 18. 66% of women and 73% of men have experienced physical violence in their childhood.
• Men are listed as the main perpetrators of gender-based violence in 90% of reported cases.

A study into the perpetrators of domestic violence found they are likely to be men who are young, troubled, unemployed and of low self-esteem. However, by no means does this justify their actions.

Femicide in Kenya – 2024.

As the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence (25th November-10th December) continue, we ought to take stock of the lives of women cut short as a result of femicide in the country.

Findings by the United Nations place the number of global femicide-related deaths in 2023 at approximately 51,100. That is about 140 women killed each day, or about a killing every 10 minutes.

Africa recorded the highest number of femicide-related deaths at about 21,700 in 2023.

The findings also show that women are more likely to be killed at home, by their partners or close family members. 60% of female homicides were carried out by their partners or family members. Only 11.8% of male homicides were carried out by their partners or close family members, despite male homicide killings accounting for 80% of all homicides globally.

The report also found that 97% of femicide victims know their perpetrator.

In Kenya, 504 cases of femicide were documented between 2019 and 2024. According to Femicide Count Ke, 150 of these cases were reported in 2023 alone.

Reporting and Perceptions

There is a lack of extensive media coverage across the country, particularly in rural and remote areas, which means that the vast majority of femicide cases go unreported. Cultural stereotypes have also been used to justify physical and sexual violence against women which hinders their ability and willingness to report cases of gender-based violence that occur to them.

Most femicide cases are reported in urban areas; Nairobi, Nakuru and Kiambu have recorded the largest share of femicide cases in recent years.

Femicide killings are consequently mislabeled as other forms of murder and death, which prevents them from garnering relevant attention from the authorities and the media.

Traditional Media: Even when these cases are reported in the media and the public domain, they are often hyper-sensationalized as headlines to grab attention or to fit a narrative. A report by the Media Council of Kenya highlights the specific cases of several media outlets (i.e. The Star and Taifa Leo). The two outlets put out publications that used gruesome headlines and described how the victims (especially Rita Waeni) were murdered with little respect for their dignity.

Social Media: The coverage of femicide has been particularly extensive on social platforms such as X. While most people have been quick to condemn the actions and reality of femicide, some have been quick to pass derogatory remarks against the victims, activists, journalists and other ordinary citizens speaking up against the unfair perpetuation of gender-based violence and femicide.

Most of these remarks are founded on the social-cultural stereotypes that encourage violence and oppression against women. I had earlier unpacked this in a previous post on the blog. You can read more here.

Finally, Kenya has weak legal systems to help the victims of gender-based violence in attaining justice. Take the case of Sharon Otieno, for example.

Sharon was murdered in horrid circumstances in 2018 in a documented case of femicide. The main perpetrator in her case is a high-profile individual with connections in the upper echelons of Kenya’s political space. He often used his connections and influence to derail the course of justice in a bid to protect his reputation and freedom.

Many gender-based violence and femicide victims and their families are often pitted against perpetrators who are of a high-profile standing in society. These perpetrators will use their societal standing to great effect to impede the course of justice and to protect themselves from prosecution and retribution.