More domestic violence cases have been reported in Kenya as the country encourages people to stay at home to prevent the spreading of the COVID_19 disease. This comes as the country also enters its fourth week in the enforcement of the daily curfew from 7 pm to 5 am East African Time where it is mandatory for all people to stay indoors. In the last few days, there have been cases of a man killing his wife through strangulation, and in another case, a woman killed her husband and her daughter by striking them using a machete.
Psychologists have attributed the rise in domestic violence cases to financial stress and emotional depression since many people were forced to close their businesses as the government announced the enforcement of measures to curb the spread of the COVID_19 virus. The markets where people buy and sell goods are usually crowded and people rarely observe the 1.5 meters social distancing rule. This led to the closure of some of the markets especially those located in urban centers. Consequently, many traders who used to sell products in these markets do not have any source of income hence the financial stress which in some cases has led to depression.
Sexual Abuse
Moreover, sexual abuse cases have increased as well. One woman was recently gang-raped by four men after she got drunk while going back home from her farm. The four men took turns in raping the married woman after dragging her to the house of one of the men.
In another case, one man killed his younger brother after finding him sexually assaulting their mother. According to Radio Citizen, a popular radio station in Kenya, the older brother, 34 years old, was going to check on his mother when he walked into the house and found his younger brother, 31 years old, sexually abusing his mother. Filled with anger, the elder brother hit the younger brother on the head using a piece of wood leading to internal bleeding, killing him instantly.
Psychologists have suggested that it is important for the government to put measures such as availing counseling service over the internet so that when couples quarrel they can ask for help from a marriage counselor or a psychologist over the internet to receive advice before the quarrel gets to the point of them hurting each other.
Author: David Katana
