Gender-Based Violence during COVID-19 among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Nairobi, Kenya: A Mixed-Methods Prospective Study Over 18 Months
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Date
2022
Authors
Decker, Michele R
Bevilacqua, Kristin
Wood, Shannon N
Ngare, Grace Wamue
Thiongo, Mary
Byrne, Meagan E
Williams, Anaise
Devoto, Bianca
Glass, Nancy
Heise, Lori
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMJ Specialist Journals
Abstract
Introduction Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW)
disproportionately experience gender-based
violence
(GBV), which can increase during emergencies like the
COVID-19
pandemic.
Methods A cohort of youth ages 15–24 in Nairobi, Kenya
was surveyed at three time points over an 18-month
period prior to and during the COVID-19
pandemic:
June–August 2019 (prepandemic), August–October 2020
(12-month
follow-up)
and May 2021 (18-month
follow-up).
We characterise (1) prevalence, relative timing and help-seeking
for leading forms of GBV, (2) GBV trajectories over
18 months and (3) associations of individual, dyad and
COVID-related
factors on GBV trajectories among AGYW
(n=612) in Nairobi, Kenya. Virtual focus group discussions
(n=12) and interviews (n=40) contextualise quantitative
results.
Results Intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence
hovered at 17% across time points (ever at pre-pandemic;
past 12 months at 12-month
follow-up
(2020); past
6 months at 18-month
follow-up
(2021)); non-partner
sexual violence (SV) was 3% at 12-month
and 18-month
follow-up.
Overall, 27.6% of AGYW experienced IPV during
the pandemic. IPV during the pandemic was associated
with work as the primary pre-COVID
activity, low social
support and partner age difference >4 years. Among AGYW
partnered at all three time points, 66.2% stayed IPV-free
(no IPV), 9.2% saw IPV resolve by 18-month
follow-up,
while 11.1% had IPV start and 13.6% experienced
intermittent IPV. Help-seeking
for IPV and SV in 2020
(11.1% and 4.6%, respectively) increased to 21.7% and
15.1%, respectively, by 2021. Qualitative results speak to
impacts of curfews, and pandemic-related
financial stress
in prompting conflict and threatening traditional gender
roles, and underlying conditions that enable IPV.
Conclusion The persistence of IPV against AGYW in
Nairobi prior to and during the COVID-19
pandemic
reflects endemic conditions and pandemic-specific
stressors. Youth, including unmarried youth, remain a
priority population for GBV prevention and survivor-centred response.
Description
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Citation
Decker, M. R., Bevilacqua, K., Wood, S. N., Ngare, G. W., Thiongo, M., Byrne, M. E., ... & Gichangi, P. (2022). Gender-based violence during COVID-19 among adolescent girls and young women in Nairobi, Kenya: a mixed-methods prospective study over 18 months. BMJ global health, 7(2), e007807.