[A building with Stop Child Abuse information. Photo/Courtesy]
A report by the Child Welfare Organisation Childline Kenya has disclosed that slightly over 700 children in Kenya, were abused in the first half of 2016.
''Three of four abuse cases could likely cause irreversible physiological and mental damage to the children,'' said the report.
Childline Kenya communications Officer Rita Munyae said girls still bear the biggest forms of abuse by 90 per cent of the cases.
''However, the data shows that boys are more likely to be neglected – 94 girls versus 104 boys – as well as targeted for physical abuse (96:102),'' reports the Daily Nation.
The abuses were sexual, physical and of neglect.
Fifty cases of early marriages, child labour (44), trafficking (13), and child abandonment (49) were reported.
In the report, Nairobi County leads in all cases of abuse, including early marriages.
Others include, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kakamega, Kisumu and Uasin Gishu respectively. Mandera, Isiolo, Tana River, Marsabit, Samburu and Wajir counties follow one another in the abuse cases.
They reported least cases.