Boy Child Sexual Abuse In Kenya. A Screaming Silence

The research is an exploratory study to establish the magnitude, nature and intensity of the boy child sexual abuse in the community at large. The study was conducted between January and August 2007 on the streets, in slums, secondary schools and institutions that offer childcare, rehabilitation and medical interventions. This exercise was conducted by a cross-national and interdisciplinary research team cross Kenya in the following regions: - Nairobi (Riruta, Kibera, Adam s Arcade area, Kawangware, Dagoretti Market, City Centre, Kenyatta Market); - Eastern province; - Nyanza province; - North Eastern province; - Western province. The methodology used in this study was exploration and it involved multiple techniques of data gathering and analysis. The need for an explorative study came from the consideration that little was actually known on the issue, thus calling for a preliminary investigation of the nature of the targeted phenomenon. Furthermore, the research team has chosen to conduct an explorative research, privileging qualitative methods of data collection and analysis but not forgetting more standardized techniques, as the main aim of the research was to capture the relational dimensions of the targeted phenomenon and its social representations through the respondents opinions and reported experiences. Nevertheless, some more structured and standardized methods of data collection were used due to strategically time-related factors and institutional constraints. The research is also focused on exploring the variables of whether power, family dynamics and poverty are the precursors to boy child sexual abuse in Kenya. In depth face to face interviews and semi-structured questionnaires were employed to obtain relevant primary data. The sampling technique was simple random sampling. Since the sample is not statistically representative of the whole Kenyan population, researchers are full aware that the information collected can only be referred to the investigated units. 205 respondents were reached during the study. They included 129 secondary school students and children in rehabilitation centres; 39 respondents from the street community; 6 street children victims of sexual abuse; 12 witnesses of boy child sexual abuse from Kibera; 10 Kibera slum dwellers; 9 professionals working in institutions dealing with children in Riruta and Kibera area in Nairobi. The researchers thus took in to account all the qualitative and quantitative data that were gained in the research for purposes of appropriate interpretation, analysis, collation and compilation. The data obtained from the field was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Considering the data collected and analysed, it is noteworthy that power, family dynamics and poverty are indeed precursors to the nature, magnitude and intensity of child sexual abuse. In fact, the respondents presented the following as the main factors that contribute to boy child sexual abuse: Drugs (16%), Envy or lust (12%), Peer pressure (10%), Pornography (7%), and Inability to have a partner (4%). They also point out dysfunctional family dynamics as one of the major precursor to the sexual violence against the children. Nonetheless, it should be not ignored the highly intertwined relation between poverty and family dynamics. Seemingly, the lack of appropriate income brings about material and emotional problems which turn up to be risk factors for the family welfare. From the data collected and analysed, the research was also able to depict a picture of the street life reality and strategies to deal with sexual violence against children, which basically call for more Awareness , Law enforcement , Childcare , Psychological and Medical intervention . One major challenge that faces the boy child is that a lot of attention and publicity has been given to the girl child as he continues to suffer in silence and most of the cases affecting him go unreported.