Challenges experienced by service providers attending to sexually abused minors in Kenya

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a global health challenge. Existing literature in Kenya indicates high numbers of minors presenting to health facilities for treatment. Focus is on health providers’ skills and capacity to provide... [ view full abstract ]

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a global health challenge. Existing literature in Kenya indicates high numbers of minors presenting to health facilities for treatment. Focus is on health providers’ skills and capacity to provide clinical and medico-legal care. Little is known about the role of child protection officers, aid workers, the police, judicial officers and community leaders. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the aforementioned service providers’ roles whilst highlighting their challenges. The study was undertaken in peri-urban Kenya. We used in-depth interviews with 61 key informants, informal discussions, 3 focus group discussions with community leaders, and observation. Findings indicate that the service providers play an integral role in ensuring sexually abused minors receive clinical and medico-legal care, have access to justice and are protected from further victimization. However, these roles are not without challenges. First, victims are subjected to long delays at health facilities, thus weakening the forensic evidence presented in courts of law. Second, complainants and their families are compromised through bribery and threats leading to disappearance of witnesses, thus collapse of CSA cases. Third, the area lacked a rescue center. This has resulted in the police putting victims in police cells where they sleep on cold floors as alternative measures are sought. Therefore there’s need to prioritize post sexual assault care in health facilities so as to preserve the integrity of the forensic evidence. The government should offer witness protection and reparation to victims of CSA to facilitate prosecution of perpetrators. Additionally, it should invest in child friendly facilities to prevent further re-victimization of victims.