Kenya: 1.5m men suffer domestic abuse

  1. Posted on Tuesday 26 May 2009 - 09:51
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    Alex Kiarie, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
    Over 1.5 million men in Kenya suffer marital abuse from their wives, according to a latest report from a lobby group - Maendeleo ya Wanaume (Progress for Men). The chairman of the organization, Ndiritu Njoka, said men are suffering in silence because it is widely held that women are always the victims.
    domestic violence
    Njoka added that women are also perpetrators of domestic abuse and violence in Kenya. The lobby group released the report on Sunday after an eight-month survey in over 40 Kenyan districts. Progress for Men advocates for men's rights in Kenya.

    The report said among those who suffer abuse include lawyers, judges and even top politicians. In fact, former and present members of parliament accounted for 39 percent of the number of male victims of domestic violence. The nature of abuse include being forced to perform domestic chores - traditionally reserved for women - being beaten up, and being forced to sleep in their living rooms including being locked out. But the most prevalent case is denial of conjugal rights.

    Njoka said: “Through organized groups, women are supportive of each other and outspoken about domestic abuse and violence, but no attention is paid to abuse by women on men."

    He said most men choose to suffer in silence for fear of being mocked. He revealed that the Central Province accounted for 72 percent of the reported cases of abuse against men by their spouses. Nairobi and Nyanza Provinces followed in the second and third place respectively.

    Njoka decried the current marriage laws, which he said favour women than men, in relation to domestic violence. He added that most Kenyan women resorted to witchcraft to resolve marriage problems.

    He urged stakeholders in the fight against domestic violence to be non-partisan, and called upon all men to rise and defend their rights.

    However, a swift rejoinder from the Federation of Kenya Women Lawyers disputed the organization’s report. It called it a cowardly position taken by men.

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