Effects of Sexual Violence on Young Women’s Participation in Small Enterprises in Kamukunji Sub-County, Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

One in every three women in the world experience sexual violence in their lifetime. Sexual violence against women is a global phenomenon, especially in developing countries because measures put in place are yet to attain full effect. This threatens the attainment of the fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on enhancing gender equality and eradicating gender-based discrimination. Furthermore, sexual violence hinders women’s development and ability to participate actively towards society development. Therefore, this study sought to examine the effects of sexual violence on young women’s participation in small enterprises in Kamukunji Sub County, Nairobi Kenya. The specific objectives sought establish the effects of rape; substance facilitated sexual violence; sexual harassment; and the measures put in place to address the effects of sexual violence on young women’s participation in small businesses. The Theory of Social Change and Radical Feminist Theory guided this study. The target population was an estimated 30,000 women who have small businesses in Kamukunji Sub-County. A Sample of 384 was selected using Krejcie and Morgan’s formulae. Stratified and purposive sampling was used to select the sample. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were utilized in collecting and analyzing data using descriptive and correlation analysis respectively. The study found out that rape had a negative effect on young women’s participation in small enterprises because it lowers a person’s ability to engage in meaningful income generating activities(M =4.10 SD = 0.74), Victim-survivors of substance facilitated sexual violence incur significant unplanned out-of-pocket expenses as they seek treatment due to accidents, and that measures put in place to address the effects of sexual violence had a positive effect (M = 4.07 SD =0.59) on young women’s participation in enterprises. The study concludes that the effects of rape, substance facilitated sexual violence and sexual harassment had a negative effect on young women’s participation in small enterprises. However, mitigation measures put in place had a positive effect on young women’s participation in enterprises. The study made recommends that the governments should implement SGBV response services that include medical treatment (ideally within 72 hours of the incident), physical security, psychosocial support, safe spaces, and legal support.