Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Kenya are speaking out about the deep betrayal they have experienced from both perpetrators and the justice system. A new report by Equality Now, in collaboration with KICTANet, HAART Kenya, Life Bloom Services International, and Trace Kenya, reveals the growing threat of online-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse.
One survivor, identified as MN, 32, says her ordeal began on Facebook, where she met a man who appeared kind and supportive. “He sent me money for food and school fees,” she recalls. However, after agreeing to meet him for lunch, MN alleges she was drugged and gang-raped. When she reported the case, police officers allegedly demanded Sh8,000 to take action, prompting her to withdraw the complaint. “I felt betrayed by a system I trusted to protect me,” she said.
Another survivor, KY, shared how financial hardship pushed her to seek work online. She met a woman who offered her a part-time laundry job, but their friendship ended in trauma when KY was allegedly coerced into drinking and later sexually assaulted by people she trusted.
The report, Experiencing Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Kenya: Survivor Narratives and Legal Responses, documents 20 such harrowing stories. It underscores how digital platforms including social media, dating apps, and mobile money services are increasingly being used to exploit vulnerable women.
Experts, including Cherie Oyier from KICTANet, are calling for the enactment of a specific law addressing online violence against women. Oyier emphasized that current legal frameworks fail to capture the complexities of digital abuse, leaving survivors without justice or protection.
As technology continues to evolve, experts warn that without robust legislation and accountability mechanisms, online spaces will remain dangerous for countless women seeking connection, opportunity, or support.
