Culture of silence fuels online abuse against women in Kenya - report

As digital platforms grow, so does harassment targeting women, yet many victims in Kenya remain quiet, unwilling to report abuse.

This silence reflects a pattern observed in studies across the globe, where social pressures, fear, and lack of institutional support prevent women from seeking justice.

The International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) in its 2024 report, "Experiencing Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in India", found that survivors are often discouraged by slow legal processes, institutional neglect, and insufficient knowledge about how to respond effectively.

“Most participants did not report incidents to authorities because they feared victim-blaming, lacked trust in police, or were unaware of available mechanisms,” the report explained.

The study also revealed that cultural expectations and social norms shape perceptions of what counts as offensive or harmful, influencing how cases are treated by law enforcement.

While the research focused on India, experts note that the same barriers are strongly present in Kenya, making it difficult for survivors to get support.

In Kenya, technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) is gaining recognition as a serious issue.

According to a 2024 report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), nearly 90 per cent of young adults in Nairobi’s colleges have observed online abuse, and 39 per cent have experienced it themselves.

Female students are most affected, with 64.4 per cent reporting at least one form of digital harassment, compared to 35.5 per cent of male students.

A policy brief examining Kenya’s digital violence landscape shows that many women do not know where to report abuse, face hurdles in the justice system, and encounter officers who are ill-equipped to handle their complaints.

In many cases, the lack of training and sensitivity among authorities discourages women from coming forward.

In Nairobi’s informal settlements and other urban communities, women subjected to cyber-stalking, image-based abuse, or non-consensual sharing of private photos frequently choose to remain silent.

This avoidance leaves perpetrators unchallenged and reinforces a culture of impunity, making online spaces unsafe for many women.

The ongoing trend underscores the urgent need for awareness campaigns, effective reporting channels, and capacity-building within law enforcement to ensure women feel empowered to speak out against digital violence.

Without such measures, the cycle of silence and abuse is likely to continue.

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