Browsing by Author "Ngare, Wamue Grace"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Actionable Gaps: Help- Seeking Behavior among Young Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence and Non- partner Sexual Violence in Nairobi, Kenya
    (Verixiv, 2025-08-26) Ngina, Judy; Thomas, Haley L; Wood, Shannon N.; Williams, Anaise; Thiongo, Mary; Mwatha, Regina; Kamau, Mercy; Ngare, Wamue Grace; Decker, Michele R.; Gichangi, Peter
    Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence (NPSV) remain prevalent and underreported forms of gender-based violence (GBV) globally, with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub- Saharan Africa facing unique help-seeking barriers. While GBV-related service provision has expanded in Kenya, few studies have simultaneously examined IPV and NPSV and corresponding helpseeking among AGYW. Methods We employed a mixed-methods design using quantitative survey data from 831 young women aged 15–29 years in Nairobi, Kenya, and indepth interviews (IDIs) with a purposive subsample of 15 young women. Quantitative measures captured the prevalence of past-year IPV and NPSV, help-seeking behaviors, service utilization, and barriers to care. IDIs explored lived experiences, community norms, perceptions of formal and informal services, and structural barriers to support. Results Among partnered women, 28.0% reported past-year IPV, while 5.2% of all women reported NPSV. Nearly all women who experienced NPSV also experienced IPV. Help-seeking was low: 31% of IPV and NPSV survivors sought any form of support. Survivors reported seeking help primarily from informal networks, such as friends or relatives; formal service utilization remained limited, with counseling and medical services more commonly accessed than police or legal services. Qualitative data revealed three major themes shaping help-seeking: (1) normalization of violence, (2) perceived quality and accessibility of GBV services, and (3) structural and socio-cultural barriers, including economic dependence, fear of retaliation, shame, and corruption. Conclusion Help-seeking among AGYW experiencing IPV and NPSV in Nairobi is hindered by deeply entrenched social norms, limited youth-friendly services, and pervasive institutional mistrust. Interventions need to address the normalization of violence, enhance trauma-informed and context-responsive services, and leverage trusted community intermediaries to improve access and support. Integrated, survivorcentered approaches are essential to address the complex interplay of IPV and NPSV and reduce barriers to care for young women.