Concerns have been raised over the surge in defilement cases in Bomet, with an average of two cases being recorded in different police stations in the county every week.
County Commissioner Ahmed Omar warned against informal solutions of such cases, noting that both perpetrators and parents engaging in such practices would be arrested and prosecuted.
Omar rooted for proactive reporting, noting that parental negligence has been witnessed in many cases, with young girls being sent out at night through tea plantations where they become vulnerable to attacks.
“We have noted, with deep concern, an alarming increase in gender-based violence, defilement, and rape targetting young women and school-going girls. This is a deeply unfortunate development,” stated Dr Omar.
The Department of Health Services in the county is also ramping up efforts to support survivors of violence with health officers undergoing training on the provision of psychosocial support for the survivors.
Discussions have also been held on how to integrate support services into routine care and ensure that survivors and their families receive appropriate and humane treatment.
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The training focusses on several aspects of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, physical violence, emotional abuse, child neglect, child marriage, and harmful cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The team also outlined guidelines to improve the integration of psychosocial care into the routine work of caregivers and service providers, with the aim of better supporting survivors and preventing further cases of abuse.
“We are committed to expanding access to psychosocial support for children who have suffered violence and to advocating for their humane care. Our goal is to reduce the prevalence of these vices in the county and ensure that survivors receive the support they need to heal,” said Dr Ronald Kibet, County Director of Health.
By Kimutai Lang’at
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