Training helps administrators, police deal with GBV cases in Meru

Ms Carol Muriuki, a human rights champion and resident of Kithithina in Buuri, Meru County, is the go-to person when cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) occur in the area.

Despite being a busy farmer engaged in the production of snow peas for export, she is always ready to abandon her farm to deal with an SGBV case.

After years of witnessing many cases of domestic violence in her village, Ms Muriuki decided to do something about it—she would report to the area chief for action. But in 2015, a training in handling SGBV cases by the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW), a women rights non-governmental organisation, changed her approach.

The organisation has been training gender-based violence support champions through its Haki Yetu Jukumu Letu initiative.

“Many of the sexual and gender-based violence cases were going unreported and those that were reported did not proceed to the courts. After being trained and becoming a rights champion, I now educate locals on the law and their rights.

“We’ve sensitised administrators, school managements and other community groups on how to deal with GBV,” Ms Muriuki says.

She helps domestic violence, rape, defilement and teenage pregnancies to ensure survivors access care and justice. She says that in most defilement cases, where the perpetrators are relatives of the victim, were being hidden, leaving survivors to suffer.

“We have sensitised children on how they can report cases of defilement, especially where a relative is involved. From this, we have had children report such incidents to their teachers or to me,” she says.

Through a local community group known as Karimba Kianjogu Residents Association, Ms Muriuki has also been able to rescue SGBV survivors and help them through the reporting process.

“The association has committed funds through which SGBV survivors can be rushed to the police and hospital, as well as cater for their treatment. Due to increased awareness and action against the perpetrators, the cases are going down,” the human rights champion says.

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, she says, her area recorded about six defilement cases and scores of domestic violence incidents, most of which have been prosecuted. According to the National Crime and Research Centre, SGBV reports increased by 92 per cent during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Muriuki does not work alone; she needs administrators, health workers and police to help survivors.

Ms Mercy Nkatha, the assistant chief for Nduruma sub-location in Imenti Central, is a member of Utawala Chiefs Group that brings together 15 administrators bound by the desire to stem SGBV.

“We formed the group as chiefs to address our welfare, but in our meetings, we noted there was a rise in gender-based violence across our jurisdictions. Most of the concerns were cases of defilement and we decided to do something,” Ms Nkatha says.

The assistant chief notes that the CREAW training has helped them to better handle cases of defilement and domestic violence, making it possible for perpetrators to face justice. She has been led in sensitising boda boda riders, members of Nyumba Kumi and other community members on SGBV.

“In our assessment of the situation, we discovered that most of the sexual and gender violence cases were inspired by drug abuse. We also noted that Kithirune market had 26 bars and alcohol retail shops, which was too high for such a small shopping centre.

“We rallied the community to protest and managed to push the county government to lower the number to nine bars today,” she recounts.

Ms Nkatha says the advocacy and prosecution of perpetrators has seen the area reduce SGBV cases to about five incidents a week. She cites a recent case of defilement where a drunken father defiled his daughter while the mother was away.

“There was a four-year-old girl who was defiled by a 60-year-old man. We managed to arrest the suspect and the matter is in court. The biggest challenge with incest cases is families covering up,” she notes.

According to Tigania Central Deputy Sub-county Criminal Investigations Officer Susan Achieng’, the police play a critical role in securing the evidence needed to prove a case of gender violence. Ms Achieng, a trainer on GBV, was awarded the Best Female Police Officer by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority in 2016 for her role in handling SGBV cases.

She says besides using the criminal justice system, the police can also use public education to discourage vices.

“I sensitise police officers on the standard operating principles of handling SGBV cases. The most important is ensuring confidentiality when talking to the survivors. Handling of the survivor and the evidence is very important,”

Once the matter is reported, Ms Achieng says a police officer must ensure the samples are taken and the relevant documents are filled correctly.

“Some of the cases thrown out by the court are due to lack of evidence due to how the matter was handled from reporting to statement recording. Sometimes, some details like age may not tally hence, the charge sheet is declared defective,” Ms Achieng says.

She has been involved in training police officers across the county to ensure gender desks do not run out of officers due to transfers.