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Rape in Kenya Used as Weapon in
Political Unrest
By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
01 February 2008
A United Nations report released February 1 shows rape is being
used as a weapon in Kenya as the country is roiled in ethnic
violence since the December elections. The survey of rape victims
was conducted in the Nairobi Women's Hospital between December 27
and January 20 and describes the cases of 152 women, children and
men who were sexually assaulted during the violence that broke out
after Kenya's disputed presidential election at the end of
December. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.
Included in the 152 cases surveyed are 12 men and 63 children
below 18 years of age. The rest are adult females. The report says
the youngest survivor is a one-year-old child and the oldest a
58-year-old woman.
The report describes horrific cases of sexual abuse, gang rape,
extreme physical brutality and severe psychological trauma.
U.N. Humanitarian spokeswoman, Elizabeth Byrs, says sexual
violence is a symptom of the collapse of the social order in Kenya
brought about by post election conflict. But she says it is also
being used by parties to the conflict.
"It also is being used as a tool to terrorize families and
individuals and precipitate their expulsion from their communities
in which they live," she said. "Whatever the motivation, the
perpetrators are exploiting the conflict in order to commit sexual
violence with impunity. In too many settings, survivors have no
access to even the most minimal health and psychological support,
leaving them vulnerable to widespread trauma and potential
negative health outcome, including HIV/AIDS."
Many survivors say they were reluctant to report the sexual
attacks against them, because they had no confidence in the
ability of the police to protect them.
The U.N. report says cases of sexual assault are grossly
underestimated and the real number of rape victims is believed to
be much higher than the officially reported figures.
The U.N. Children's Fund reports that women in camps for displaced
people say rape and sexual abuse are happening on a large scale.
UNICEF spokeswoman, Veronique Taveau, says women and children who
have been raped are threatened with reprisal if they talk of their
experience.
"One of our staff was in a camp when a group of women came to her
and said listen this is happening on a nightly basis," she noted.
"And, when she was told that, then a group of men came and said.
'Okay listen, stop it because if you keep saying that, if you keep
giving testimonies to international organizations, then there will
be retaliation against you and against your children.' We can
imagine that those women are living in fear. And, it is very, very
difficult for them to let us know what is going on exactly."
United Nations agencies say they cannot stop the violence. They
say the Kenyan government must be responsible for protecting its
citizens. They note that the government is not living up to its
task.
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