Children’s Vulnerability to Sexual Violence during COVID-19 in Kenya:  Recommendations for the Future

Stevens, Laura; Rockey, James; Rockowitz, Sarah; Kanja, Wangu; Colloff, Melissa F.; Flowe, Heather D.

doi:10.31234/osf.io/7sn3w

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The study conducted by Wong et al in Hong Kong reported that most of the CSAs were performed by a family member of the child during the pandemic process (Wong et al, 2022). Stevens et al stated that in Kenya children are more likely to be victimized by a neighbor during Covid-19 (Stevens et al, 2021). A study conducted in Turkey found that the number of children who were abused more by their friends/lovers before the pandemic and by their friends/lovers during the pandemic period decreased and they were abused by other people (Aslan, Timur&Pakiş, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of the covid-19 pandemic on applications to the children’s advocacy center

Öncü¹,

Uslu²

2023

JOA

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The purpose of the study is to determine and compare the characteristics of child sexual abuse (CSA) cases who applied to the children’s advocacy center (CAC) before and during the pandemic. The population and sample of this descriptive, retrospective study consists of the files of children who came to Burdur CAC for CSA between April 1, 2019-March 31, 2020 and April 1, 2020-March 31, 2021. A total of 171 files were examined in study. Data were collected using the Data Collection Form developed by the researchers. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Man Whitney U and Bonferroni tests were used for the analysis of the data. Prior to the study, permission was obtained from the Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Directorate, and Ethics Committee. The results showed that that 113 out of 171 children came to CAC before pandemic, and the number of children who came to CAC decreased during the pandemic (n=58). It was found that 60.8% of children were exposed to non-penetrative sexual abuse, and the number of sexual abuse decreased during pandemic process compared to pre-pandemic period. Regarding the characteristics of perpetrators; mean age was 32.6±16.1 years and 98.8% of them were males. It was also found that both before and during pandemic, children were mostly abused by their friends/lovers, and most of the abuse took place in home of the perpetrator. Those who reported abuse before and during pandemic were found to demonstrate statistically significant differences (p<0.001). Most of the notifications were found to be made by teachers (n=69) before pandemic, while number of teachers’ notifications decreased (n=9) during pandemic process, and the most notifications were made by mothers and fathers (n=23). In the future, it is recommended to carry out studies to determine types of CSA faced by children in digital environments before, during and after pandemic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of the covid-19 pandemic on applications to the children’s advocacy center

Öncü¹,

Uslu²

2023

JOA

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“…Community support groups and non-profit organisations that support the vulnerable women to society are affected in term of human resource capacity and financial sustainability by lockdown regulations. 14,16 Emerging data from parts of Asia, America and Europe show a significant increase in reporting of sexual assault during the current pandemic. 5 As a result of its sudden surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 27, 2020, abuse against women was pronounced by the UN as a 'shadow pandemic within the pandemic'.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The report also highlighted the obstacles and risks of reporting sexual assault cases during the pandemic. 16 A recent report also highlighted the surge of violence against women in South Africa during the COVID-19 lockdown and stated that one woman was killed every 3 h. Violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic is described as a 'twin pandemic'. 3 The lockdown regulations of the COVID-19 pandemic have raised multiple concerns, especially for their impact on essential services access to victims of sexual assault.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare service access for the victims of sexual assault

Kaswa

2021

South African Family Practice

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Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the provision or exacerbated the existing gap of access to essential healthcare services. An unanticipated effect on access to healthcare services emerged with the introduction of COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Violence against women is prevalent with varying degrees of severity in all spheres of society.Methods: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the access to healthcare services for the victims of sexual assault in the Mthatha region of South Africa. This is a records review of victims of sexual assault survivors who visited and were treated at the Sinawe TCC at Mthatha Regional Hospital. The data on sexual assault cases at Sinawe TCC were compared with a time-matched control group from 2014 to 2020.Results: There were 5747 sexual assault cases reported at Sinawe TCC between 01 January 2014 and 31 December 2020. There was a major drop in reported cases at Sinawe TCC during the 2020 year, with only about half (451) of the annual average cases being reported.Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on access to healthcare services for the victims of sexual assault survivors in the Mthatha region of South Africa.

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“…In meta-analyses of worldwide data, there were increases in depressive symptoms and anxiety among children and adolescents, with greater prevalence and severity seen among girls and older children [6,7]. Evidence also emerged showing increases in sexual offenses against children coincident with lockdowns, curfews and school closures [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased reproductive tract infections among secondary school girls during the COVID-19 pandemic: associations with pandemic related stress, mental health, and domestic safety

Mehta,

Nandi,

Otieno

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Background: Kenya, like many countries, shuttered schools during COVID–19, with subsequent increases in poor mental health, sexual activity, and pregnancy. We sought to understand how the COVID–19 pandemic may mediate risk of reproductive tract infections. We hypothesized that greater COVID–19 related stress would mediate risk via mental health, feeling safe inside the home, and sexual exposure, given the pandemic mitigation–related impacts of school closures on these factors. Methods: We analyzed data from a cohort of 436 girls enrolled in secondary school in rural western Kenya. Baseline, 6–, 12–, and 18– month study visits occurred April 2018 – December 2019 (pre–COVID), and 30–, 36–, and 48– month study visits occurred September 2020 – July 2022 (COVID period). At study visits, participants self–completed a survey for sociodemographics and sexual practices, and provided self–collected vaginal swabs for Bacterial vaginosis (BV) testing, with STI testing at annual visits. COVID–related stress was measured with a standardized scale and dichotomized at highest quartile. Mixed effects modeling quantified how BV and STI changed over time, and longitudinal mediation analysis quantified how the relationship between COVID–19 stress and increased BV was mediated. Findings: BV and STI prevalence increased from 12.1% and 10.7% pre–COVID to 24.5% and 18.1% during COVID, respectively. This equated to a 26% (95% CI 1.00 – 1.59) and 36% (95% CI 0.98 – 1.88) increased relative prevalence of BV and STIs, respectively, in the COVID–19 period compared to pre–COVID, adjusted for numerous sociodemographic and behavioral factors. Higher COVID–related stress was associated with elevated depressive symptoms and feeling less safe inside the home, which were each associated with increased likelihood of having a boyfriend. In longitudinal mediation analyses, the direct effect of COVID–related stress on BV was small and non–significant, indicating increased BV was due to the constellation of factors that were impacted during the COVID pandemic. Conclusions: In this cohort of adolescent girls, BV and STIs increased following COVID–related school closures. These results highlight modifiable factors to help maintain sexual and reproductive health resiliency, such as anticipating and mitigating mental health impacts, domestic safety concerns, and maintaining sexual health services to prevent and treat reproductive tract infections.

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Children’s Vulnerability to Sexual Violence during COVID-19 in Kenya: Recommendations for the Future

Cited by 7 publications

References 19 publications

The effect of the covid-19 pandemic on applications to the children’s advocacy center

The effect of the covid-19 pandemic on applications to the children’s advocacy center

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare service access for the victims of sexual assault

Increased reproductive tract infections among secondary school girls during the COVID-19 pandemic: associations with pandemic related stress, mental health, and domestic safety

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