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

In addition, with some reservations, the Commission proposes the creation of
gender unit/sections within every police station where victims of sexual violence
can be treated with sensitivity and where their cases will be properly recorded
and investigated. Currently the existing units are limited and do not entail any
more than having a female officer available to deal with female victims. However,
for any such unit to be effective would require a complete change in attitude
within the security forces themselves, including the police. Training the police
how to handle cases of sexual violence and in first aid would be of use only if
mechanisms for accountability within the security forces themselves are
established and acted upon. At the very least, this would include police and
other security personnel being severely punished for perpetrating crimes of
sexual violence and being dismissed if they mishandled victims of sexual
violence. In short, new units without new patterns of behaviour and new
sanctions would be utterly useless.
The Commission also encourage Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
working in the health sector to partner with medical institutions and share
information to ensure a swifter and improved response to sexual violence.
The Commission considers there is low level of awareness about the possibility of
help that victims of sexual violence can receive. Further, there no pressure on
the part of law enforcement to do the right thing when dealing with cases of
sexual violence. The Commission, therefore, recommends the establishment,
under Kenyan law, of the office of rapporteur on sexual violence. The
responsibility of the rapporteur will be to highlight, on a continuous basis, the
fact that sexual violence is a serious crime and needs an equally serious
response on the part of law enforcement authorities. The rapportuer should have
an appropriate staff to assist in the discharge of the functions of the office. The
rapportuer should be required and empowered to work with existing government
institutions that address sexual violence, including the courts, the police, and
the National Commission on Gender. The rapporteur should be required to
present, on an annual basis, a report to the National Assembly, outlining a view
on how, during the year, cases of sexual violence were handled.
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