Taita men cry out: "We are beaten too"

Authorities in Taita Taveta County have sounded the alarm over a troubling rise in domestic violence against men, describing it as an emerging and largely under reported form of gender-based violence (GBV).

“There is an increasing number of physical violence cases reported among men, often involving battering by their spouses,” said Mwatate Deputy County Commissioner Miriam Tila recently.

This revelation came during a GBV forum at the County Commissioner’s office in Mwatate Town, where Mwatate Sub-County Administrator Joseph Jumases bravely shared his personal experience of abuse.

Jumases, a former Bura councillor and vice-chair of the now-defunct Taita Taveta County Council, disclosed that he had divorced his first wife after enduring years of domestic abuse.

“My wife used to beat me constantly. On one occasion, she attacked me with a machete, leaving me with a serious leg injury,” he recounted.

Jumases said he chose to share his story in the hope of encouraging other men who suffer in silence to come forward and seek support. He warned that many men in the region are facing psychological distress due to ongoing abuse at home, leading to a spike in male suicide rates.

“Men are suffering. Some are mentally ill, not from medical conditions, but because they are under siege in their own homes,” said Jumases.

“There are men taking their lives due to relentless emotional and physical abuse. We need to provide them with guidance, counselling, and spiritual support,” he continued.

He further claimed that, in some cases, spouses turn children against their fathers, compounding the emotional toll.

Commissioner Tila acknowledged the severity of the issue and announced plans to hold dedicated consultative forums for men, allowing them to share their experiences — some even on camera.

“We have documented shocking cases of men committing suicide due to domestic abuse. I intend to organise separate GBV forums for men and women, so that married couples can openly share their experiences. Only then can the government implement targeted interventions to break the cycle of abuse,” she said.

She added, “Men are being battered every day, and many are resorting to suicide. These discussions will help us find tangible solutions to address this often-overlooked form of GBV.”

The initiative comes amid a broader crisis of gender-based violence in Taita Taveta County.

According to a recent report by Taita Taveta Human Rights Watch, the county recorded 158 GBV cases in the past year alone. Offences such as defilement, incest, and sodomy were the most prevalent.

Despite the county government enacting a gender policy to guide GBV response and protect vulnerable groups, cases of child abuse continue to overwhelm both county and national institutions.

Other persistent issues include female genital mutilation (FGM), teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and child labour.

Local women’s leaders have also voiced concern over the role of poverty in fuelling domestic crises.

Isabella Kidede, a women’s rights advocate with Sauti Ya Wanawake, said poverty is worsening child neglect and abuse, with many girls dropping out of school due to forced marriages, early pregnancies, or lack of school fees.

A 2020 report by Maendeleo ya Wanaume (MEWA) estimated that at least 2.1 million men in Kenya are abused daily by women.

According to MEWA Chairperson Ndiritu Njoka, elderly men aged 60 and above are the most affected, with 90 per cent experiencing physical or emotional abuse from their partners.