Digital scars: Kenya police step up response to online violence against women
A recent study shows that TFGBV is growing in Kenya, with university students among the worst affected.
What you need to know:
- New Kenya Police Service module aims at strengthening responses to technology-facilitated gender-based violence nationwide.
- Kenyan authorities launch coordinated investigations into alleged non-consensual recording and online exploitation, activating cybercrime and GBV units to pursue accountability.
When Branice Okanga ventured into content creation, she never imagined it would expose her to relentless online attacks. She soon learned the hard way: each time she posted content on TikTok and Facebook, she faced cyberbullying.
Branice, who hails from Vihiga, says the attacks became so persistent that they began to take a heavy toll on her. She struggled to understand how strangers could target her based solely on her physical appearance. Over time, stalking compounded her distress.
“I am a victim of cyberbullying. Most of the time when I post my content on TikTok and Facebook, some of my followers make fun of my height. They make insensitive comments that hurt, criticising me based on my physical appearance,” Branice says in an interview.
She adds that while online attacks cause significant emotional harm, they have not crushed her determination to earn a living through social media. Her message to women is clear: do not allow online threats and intimidation to derail your dreams.
Branice and other survivors of digital violence are among those targeted for protection under a new initiative launched by the Kenya Police Service. The programme introduces a module on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).
Policare, in partnership with the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (Creaw) and the Search for Common Ground, designed the module to strengthen institutional capacity within the police to address digital violence. The module includes occupational standards, curriculum content, assessment tools and a trainer’s guide on digital abuse.
Read: Betrayal, filming, blackmail: How trusted relationships become gateways to online sexual abuse
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja says the initiative will reinforce prevention and response efforts against GBV, amid rising cases of TFGBV. He described the partnership as a significant step towards improving service delivery, noting that security is a shared responsibility.
Creaw executive director Wangechi Wachira welcomed the collaboration, saying the resources are designed to enhance the police service’s response to digital forms of violence.
Zipporah Nderitu, a senior superintendent of police and the driving force behind Policare, described the module as one of the most comprehensive victim-centred policing frameworks in Africa. She noted that TFGBV leaves lasting digital scars and disproportionately targets women, girls, activists and survivors.
“Sexual violence has expanded beyond physical spaces into digital and technology-mediated environments,” she said. “Phones, social media, messaging apps, Global Positioning System, artificial intelligence tools and online platforms are increasingly being used to commit, amplify and conceal abuse.”
Digital violence against women and girls is becoming more prevalent in Kenya. Recently, a Russian national has been under scrutiny following allegations that he secretly recorded private encounters with Kenyan women and shared the footage online without consent.
On Monday, the government announced coordinated efforts to pursue the suspect over allegations of abuse and exploitation, including non-consensual recording and distribution of intimate content. Gender Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo said international bodies would be involved given the transnational nature of the case. She noted that such actions violate constitutional protections on dignity and privacy.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said it had launched an inquiry and activated its cybercrime and GBV units to gather evidence and trace the suspect’s digital footprint, working alongside international law enforcement partners. The agency also warned the public against sharing the videos, cautioning that redistribution could attract criminal liability.
