Gender Affairs CS Sicily Kariuki wants the Media Council of Kenya to ensure the Wednesday’s Jeff Koinange Live interview between Nairobi governor aspirants Miguna Miguna and Esther Passaris is pulled down over what she termed "trivialising the crime of rape.
According to capitalfm.co.ke, Kariuki said there was need to take quick and decisive measures to protect victims of abusive and derogatory language, at the same time condemning the show for trivialising rape.
"The abusive and derogatory language used on KTN's Jeff Koinange Live and the release of behind-the-scenes footage from the show to the wider public, sought to extend the victim shaming - irrespective of our political leaning the crime of rape is unacceptable," read Kariuki’s statement in part.
She said the manner in which Miguna was allowed to carry on with dehumanising remarks against Passaris was unacceptable.
“As the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Gender Affairs, I strongly condemn the trivialisation of the crime of rape as depicted on KTN’s Jeff Koinange Live Show and the subsequent comments on social media that sought to normalise this unacceptable and dehumanising act,” she added.
She said the comments just showed how much still needs to be done to change the society’s attitudes on gender-based violence.
“The sorry scene was made equally worse by the collective failure of the several actors who stood by and watched from a distant,” Kariuki observed. “Why did the media house allow the continued assault? Why didn’t anyone step in? Who were behind the scenes? Who were these silent actors?” she asked.
“Fundamentally, they need to understand that Gender Based Violence encompasses all acts of violence be it physical, psychological or verbal,” she added.