On 12th November, Sharon Atieno,19 years old, was mutilated and murdered, and her body dumped in a banana plantation. Two days later, 24-year-old Grace Thaara was hacked to death by her husband.
The death of these women forms part of the escalating crisis of violence against women in Kenya. According to the Africa Data Hub, approximately 500 women were killed between 2016 and 2023 and about 32 women were murdered by male perpetrators in January alone this year which equates to an average of one woman every day. The killings have continued throughout 2024, highlighting what has become a silent emergency.
Femicide is one of the gravest forms of violence against women and girls globally — a crisis that claims the life of one woman or girl every 10 minutes at the hands of a partner or a family member worldwide, according to a report by UN Women and UNODC.
Audrey Mugeni, co-founder of Femicide Count Kenya, explained there had been 154 cases by the end of 2023, and this year there have already been 188 cases which is predicted to rise to about 200 by the end of 2024.
See also: Kenya’s femicide protesters met with teargas on Human Rights Day, dozens arrested
On January 27th, countless Kenyans took to the streets in the #EndFemicide protests to advocate for urgent action to address this national crisis. However, regardless of the public outcry, femicide continues to rear its head 11 months later.
Deep-rooted cultural and religious barriers
The pervasive influence of patriarchy in Kenya has contributed to the normalization of intimate partner violence. In a society where separation and divorce carry heavy social shame, women often prioritize maintaining relationships over their own safety.
Traditionally, many women rely on men who are viewed as the breadwinners in the family thus making it challenging to leave an abusive relationship. Economic dependency, fear of being unable to provide for their children, and the stigma of separation compel many to remain in dangerous environments.
This dependency creates a cycle where abuse remains hidden and unreported, perpetuating societal and familial harm.
S*, a 15-year-old girl, reported being sexually molested and raped by her stepfather which led to his arrest. However, her mother, unable to bear the financial burden of raising five children alone, disowned her and threw her out of the home. Such societal pressures and economic constraints force many to settle cases informally, perpetuating the cycle of abuse.
Njeri Migwi, CEO of Usikimye, a non-profit organization advocating against sexual and gender-based violence, wrote on its Facebook page:
“One of the hardest reasons why pedophilia and incest cases remain unprosecuted is due to financial constraints and the burden of raising children being left on one parent, so most people choose to settle out of court.”
The cost of judgment
Victim blaming, a typical response to femicide, prolongs the cycle of violence and undermines justice. This practice redirects attention from the perpetrators and instead scrutinizes the victim’s behavior, clothing, and the circumstances leading up to their death.
For instance, following the brutal murder of Rita Waeni, a university student murdered in an Airbnb apartment early this year, online narratives questioned her lifestyle and choices rather than the brutality of her death. Many social media users suggested that young women should stop engaging in relationships for financial gain. Others stated that young women should know that men who spend money on them will expect sexual favors in return.
Specialists have noted that victim blaming intensifies the trauma for survivors and families and perpetuates a culture of silence that allows femicide to continue unchecked.
Weak legal protection vs. bringing perpetrators to justice
Legal recourse in Kenya often fails to prevent violence against women, with slow justice systems and lax protection that benefits the perpetrators.
Jowie Irungu, alias ‘Jowie’, who is accused of murdering businesswoman Monica Kimani in 2018, was released on bail in 2020 after spending just one year in custody. It would take three more years for him to be apprehended again for the brutal murder of the woman, showing just how slow the law can be in catching perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
Activists have argued that such bail policies encourage offenders and fail to deal with the issue of gender-based violence. Murder trials often take years, leaving the suspects free to continue their lives and the victim’s families in limbo.
Women’s rights advocates are pushing for reforms to make femicide a distinct crime in the constitution and specialized courts to be established to expedite trials.
A profoundly patriarchal culture, slow government responses, and the lack of privacy at the gender desks in police stations leave many cases unresolved and allow violence against women to persist unchecked.
