PART III Extent and Impact of Post Election Violence - Mars Group ...

to identify the rapist (31%). Others, the Commission was told, did not know
where to report the incident, had been asked not to report the matter (34%), or
did not know how to do so (27%). The witness told the Commission that some
respondents, especially those raped by powerful figures in authority, including
police, who had sexually assaulted women, were effectively untouchable. This
finding mirrored other testimony given to the Commission concerning the
response both by government and security personnel to other types of post-
election violence. The very individuals who might have helped them were people
to whom they could not go for help: perpetrators at the worse and otherwise
often indifferent bystanders to the plight of ordinary citizens whom they should
have assisted. The witness also testified that some women in IDP camps in
Naivasha were reduced to trading sex for money to buy food for their families
while others were raped by individuals who invaded IDP camps as was the case
in Nakuru, or did not have access to medical services. 208
Dr. Sam Thenya 209, the CEO of the Nairobi Women’s Hospital, which provides
free services to female and male victims of sexual violence, explained to the
Commission that his hospital offers comprehensive treatment to survivors of
sexual violence, including administering a drug, known as Post Exposure
Prophylaxes (PEP) medication which if given within 72 hours of rape reduces the
chances of the victim being infected with HIVAIDS and other sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs). He also relayed to the Commission the other types
of services offered by his hospital including psychological and mental health and
other services.
Dr. Sam Thenya told the Commission that his hospital was inundated with
patients during the post election period. It treated 653 individuals to whom it
was able to offer comprehensive services, including the administration of PEP.
This number excludes others who came to the hospital after the 72 hour period
when PEP is in effective as the hospital’s statistics include only those who
208 Exhibit 12 B.
209 CW 14
247