Crisis pregnancy centres for rape survivors not a cure

The emergence of crisis pregnancy centres in the country is a problematic solution to the woes of the survivors of sexual violence who are pregnant as a result of rape or even defilement. Most of the centres are replete with misinformation and hinder access to vital services to the rape survivors, such as safe abortion.

The “Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2014” shows 14 per cent of women and six per cent of men aged 15-49 reported having suffered sexual violence. The government has enacted several laws and has policies and regulations to prevent and control all forms of violence against women and children. They include the Bill of Rights in the Constitution and the Sexual Offences Act 2006.

The Constitution and The National Guidelines on Management of Sexual Violence in Kenya say termination of pregnancy and post-abortion care in the event of pregnancy from defilement and rape is a key right of a survivor of sexual violence. Nobody should force or manipulate survivors of rape or defilement to keep a foetus they don’t want — one that would continuously remind them of the painful non-consensual ‘act’ that they endured.

Most of these centres receive support from conservative national and local government leaders and are led by powerful religious organisations nationally, regionally and even globally. Across Africa, and in Kenya to be specific, many of them incorrectly inform rape and defilement survivors and are fed by medical myths surrounding access to safe abortion, which is their right as a victim.

Access to safe abortion

Women face moral judgement at almost all the centres when they ask for access to safe abortion. For example, women who were raped as a result of incest were reportedly told they had “no right to take away the ‘baby’s life”. Many were told they would be committing ‘murder’ if they aborted. 

These centres are founded and based on myths and false knowledge that force the survivors to keep pregnancies that they don’t want. Most of them target vulnerable women and teenagers, including students, minorities and migrants without access to other services.

They are all over in Nairobi and beyond around the country, especially in religious kind of settings and environments. They do not care and assist these women after “forcing ” them to keep their unwanted pregnancies that resulted from rape or defilement. They have driven survivors to depression and even suicide after “brainwashing” them with fake information, threats and instilling fear.

Most of the time, sexual violence acts leave these survivors with trauma, sexually transmitted diseases and even pregnancies. The government, through ministries of Health and Interior, should further investigate this matter and close down these centres that manipulate rape and defilement survivors to keep unwanted pregnancies.

Mr Mwangi is a sexual and reproductive health and rights youth specialist. @alvinmwangi254