Residents of Kangundo Sub-County in Machakos County, have been asked to report defilement cases within the family as soon as they occur to ensure justice is served.
Speaking in her office on Monday, Kangundo Sub-County children officer Susan Ouma said that many cases of defilement involving relatives go unreported.
Ouma said that many families do not report such cases due to fear or intimidation from family members.
Ouma gave an example of a girl who might be defiled by her step father and fears to report the case since the step father is the breadwinner of the family and her mother fears being kicked out, thus it becomes a habit for the perpetrator.
"Defilement cases within families go unreported mostly due to fear of prosecuting a family member or ruining family reputations,” said Ouma.
The officer said this leads to the victims not getting the necessary medical attention or guidance and counselling to help them cope with the situation.
"It is a pity many victims do not get proper medication, guidance and counselling that they need in order to cope with the situation,” she said.