Prevalence and Correlates of Sexual and Gender Based Violence Among Refugees in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Turkana County, Kenya

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) is a major public health and human rights problem worldwide. Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are affected by armed-conflict are at increased susceptibility to some sexual and gender-based violence. In Kenya, the extent of this challenge in humanitarian settings has not been explored. Broad Objective: To determine the frequency and correlates of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Kakuma refugee camp, Turkana County, Kenya. Methodology: A mixed method cross-sectional study was used. A total of two hundred and ninety-three (293) refugees were selected using a multistage cluster method. A researcher designed questionnaire was used to assess the participant’s socio-demographic characteristics. A SEVEN ITEM Assessment Screen to Identify Survivors Toolkit for Gender Based Violence (ASIST- GBV) was used to screen the participants on their experience of sexual and gender-based violence. A further two (2) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and four (4) Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with women & girls and relevant stakeholders respectively were conducted to corroborate quantitative data. Data collected was double-entered into MS-Access software and errors were checked before data was analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The overall prevalence of SGBV in the entire camp was 79.9 percent; with the old Kakuma refugee camp recording a higher prevalence of 85.4 percent than Kalobeyei (58.3percent) integrated settlement. Over half of the residents (55.3 percent) had faced threats to violence with almost an equal number (53.9 percent) having experienced actual physical..............................................................................