Young children are secretly suffering in the hands of parents, caretakers, teachers and other persons who are supposed to be protecting them, a gender expert has said.
Records at the Rift Valley General Provincial Hospital depict the situation as sickening if at all things are to be taken seriously.
The nurse-in-charge of gender-based violence cases at the hospital Theophila Muraga noted that child labour, harassment, corporal punishment and even rape is what the young generation is forced to live under.
“What happened to the ideal African parent that was responsible, protective and very loving? As an institution, we are really concerned at the rising cases of gender-based violence especially in our informal settlements,” she told reporters at her office.
She added, “Something must be done fast enough before it gets out of hand. Some parents and care-givers out there are subjecting their children to a very hard life subjecting them to very miserable living conditions.”
According to Muraga, the young children keep suffering silently due to “fear of the unknown” as a result of the threats and intimidation that accompany the actions.
She advised children going through any form of mistreatment at home, school or any other place to come out and share it less the worst happens.
“Children should learn to speak out. Let them talk to older friends, teachers, Sunday school teachers or any other person they feel confident with to get the required help and advice,” she explained.
This comes in the wake of a rape case in the county where a man was on Thursday arrested for sodomising more than 10 young boys from Kaptembwa Primary School.
According to police reports, the man lured the innocent boys using sweets and other goodies before committing the indecent act in his house where he reportedly disguised as a tuition teacher.