Gender, children desk officers must pass integrity and compassion test

The unveiling this month by the National Police Service of a model one-stop centre where survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) will get the all-round support is progressive and encouraging news. It gives a ray of hope that survivors of this horrible life-threatening crime would not only get justice but also be treated with the dignity that they deserve, especially during reporting.

Policare Kenya, which is expected to focus on survivors of SGBV, will be located at the old Nairobi Area police station, in Nairobi County. 

It will comprise specially trained police officers, forensic investigators, medical personnel, psychologists and trauma counsellors, prosecutors, magistrates, lawyers, gender experts and correctional personnel. The fact that the initiative promises proper security and integrity of the evidence and dignified handling of survivors is important.

Frustrating and complicated

One of the most frustrating and complicated processes is reporting cases of, especially, rape, defilement and other forms of violence against women and girls. Justice becomes a mirage. This project must stick to its objectives and promises. It should be replicated in the other 46 counties, in every sub-county.

It is time the fight against SGBV is taken seriously by both levels of government. After all, the huge economic loss caused by SGBV should nudge them to deal with it. A 2016 study by the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), “Gender-Based Violence in Kenya: The Economic Burden on Survivors”, found that the country loses up to Sh46 billion annually to effects of SGBV. In addition, it has enormous economic and social effects and implications on families.

While the barriers, impediments and hindrances to the fight and prevention of SGBV are as numerous as they are widespread, pinning down and bringing perpetrators to account for their criminality has been a fundamental weak link. Communities, specifically families, often cover up for perpetrators of crimes committed within the family space.

This is largely attributed to stigma, with the fear that revelations of sexual abuse (mainly incest) would harm the family’s “honour”.

Family members do all they can, including committing further crimes, to conceal it as they put family ties before the rights of the abused. In most instances, perpetrators of sexual and domestic violence and their sympathisers thrive at blaming their victims, making them feel intense shame for “letting’’ the abuse and violation occur!

But SGBV can be fought if the systems in place, especially to deal with perpetrators, work as expected. These include having the people tasked with fighting this vice do so with a sense of duty, responsibility and moral commitment. Culprits would rarely get away with violating the dignity of other human beings.

By making them face the full force of the law, fellow and potential perpetrators would learn from that and realise that it is no longer business as usual for sex pests and batterers, and that they would be effectively taken away from the civilised society and tucked away in jail, where they belong.

I know selfless and hardworking police officers, mainly on the gender desks of specific police stations, who work round the clock and with much compassion to investigate SGBV cases and help and facilitate the survivors to access justice.

But there are also the rotten apples who are shamelessly compromised by the perpetrators of these crimes and their associates to ‘kill’ the cases. It is imperative that all police officers responsible for gender and children desks are vetted before they take up such sensitive duties.

In the meantime, I remain hopeful that the National Crime Research Centre, following a directive last month by President Uhuru Kenyatta, will quickly come up with an all-encompassing report in relation to SGBV, violation of children’s rights and the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of these crimes.

Ms Rugene is consulting editor and founder of The Woman’s Newsroom Foundation. [email protected].