A recent needs assessment conducted by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Kenya revealed significant deficiencies in the detection and management of cases of sexual and gender-based violence within displaced persons camps in Baringo county.
In the wake of escalating conflict in her community earlier this year, Mary* was compelled to flee her home in search of safety. While many of her neighbors sought refuge in camps for internally displaced people miles away, Mary chose to stay at a distant relative’s home near her daughter’s school, hoping to ensure her daughter’s education continued.
Exposing vulnerability away from home
Mary and her daughter set up a temporary shelter within the relative’s compound. Despite a promising start, Mary’s daughter soon informed her about inappropriate advances from the relative’s eldest son, who was of legal age. Mary initially tried to downplay the situation to avoid causing trouble, but the son’s behavior escalated, culminating in a violent encounter one night when he attempted to assault Mary’s daughter.
“If not for her cries for help, he would have succeeded,” Mary recounted. “I decided enough was enough.”
That very night, Mary and her daughter packed their belongings and sought refuge in a camp. Regrettably, stories like Mary’s are all too common among internally displaced individuals in Baringo county.
MSF’s rapid response
“On April 29, MSF launched an emergency intervention aimed at providing mental health support to displaced persons, with a specific focus on sexual violence,” stated Jonah Ngugi, nursing activity manager. MSF enlisted a clinician experienced in addressing sexual violence to participate in outreach programs and medical services to aid in the identification of such cases within the community.
“We established two avenues for the detection and management of sexual violence cases,” Ngugi explained. “One was through therapy sessions with our psychologists, and the other was during medical consultations with a clinician trained in identifying sexual violence cases.”
Nancy Mutai, an MSF psychologist, highlighted the likelihood of underreported cases of sexual violence. “While we have managed cases of attempted rape and gender-based violence, connecting patients to care, this likely does not paint the complete picture,” she remarked.
Identifying where sexual violence is prevalent
In-depth analysis by MSF teams in the region revealed that the majority of sexual violence incidents occur in integrated environments rather than within the camps. “In the camps, there is a clear segregation between sleeping quarters for men and women,” stated Mutai. “Mothers maintain better awareness of their children’s movements. However, in integrated settings, the situation is more complex; young girls may venture long distances in search of essentials like water and firewood, exposing themselves to risks. Internally displaced individuals are also vulnerable to abuse by their hosts.”
A lack of awareness and stigma surrounding sexual violence have impeded the prompt detection and management of cases within these communities. Consequently, MSF collaborated with the Ministry of Health to train 187 community health promoters and 60 healthcare workers on responding to sexual and gender-based violence, as well as providing mental health and psychosocial support, in June.
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