Multiyear, Multisectoral Training Program in Kenya to Enhance Medical-Legal Processes in Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

doi:10.1177/10778012221099984

. 2022 Nov;28(14):3311-3330.

doi: 10.1177/10778012221099984. Epub 2022 Aug 7.

Multiyear, Multisectoral Training Program in Kenya to Enhance Medical-Legal Processes in Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Salma Albezreh¹, Mike Anastario², Billy J Ulibarrí³, Karen Naimer⁴, Katy Johnson⁴, Thomas McHale⁴, Ranit Mishori^{4

5}, Wendy L Macias-Konstantopoulos^{6

7}, Rose Olson⁸, Brett D Nelson^{6

7

9}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, 2348Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
² 145771Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
³ Department of Sociology, 12331The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA.
⁴ 82763Physicians for Human Rights, New York, NY, USA.
⁵ 12230Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
⁶ Center for Social Justice and Health Equity, Department of Emergency Medicine, 2348Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁷ 1811Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁸ Department of Medicine, 1861Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁹ Divisions of Global Health and Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, 2348Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

PMID: 35938230
PMCID: PMC9727116
DOI: 10.1177/10778012221099984

Multiyear, Multisectoral Training Program in Kenya to Enhance Medical-Legal Processes in Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Salma Albezreh et al. Violence Against Women. 2022 Nov.

. 2022 Nov;28(14):3311-3330.

doi: 10.1177/10778012221099984. Epub 2022 Aug 7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, 2348Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
² 145771Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
³ Department of Sociology, 12331The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA.
⁴ 82763Physicians for Human Rights, New York, NY, USA.
⁵ 12230Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
⁶ Center for Social Justice and Health Equity, Department of Emergency Medicine, 2348Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁷ 1811Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁸ Department of Medicine, 1861Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁹ Divisions of Global Health and Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, 2348Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

PMID: 35938230
PMCID: PMC9727116
DOI: 10.1177/10778012221099984

Abstract

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) leads to severe sequelae for individuals and communities. Lack of cross-sector coordination inhibits effective medical-legal support and justice for survivors. Multisectoral trainings for health, legal, and law enforcement professionals on survivor-centered SGBV care were conducted in Kenya during 2012-2018. Evaluation utilized objective structured clinical examinations, standardized patients, knowledge assessments, and interviews. A total of 446 professionals participated in 18 trainings. Mean knowledge scores increased from 75.6% to 84.7% (p < .001). Thirty interviews revealed improved survivor confidentiality, increased specialized hospital care, more comprehensive forensic care, and greater cross-sector collaboration. Participants reported survivors feeling more comfortable pursuing legal action and increased perpetrator convictions.

Keywords: Kenya; forensic evidence; gender-based violence; sexual assault; sexual violence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Cited by

Workplace gender-based violence among female staff in public higher education institutions in eastern Ethiopia: Institution-based cross-sectional study.
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[Effectiveness of a training program in the approach to gender-based violence in emergency professionals: A quasi-experimental study].
Adánez-Martínez MG, Pérez-Cánovas C, Leal-Costa C, Conesa Ferrer MB, Díaz-Agea JL, Jiménez Ruiz I. Adánez-Martínez MG, et al. An Sist Sanit Navar. 2025 Apr 22;48(1):e1111. doi: 10.23938/ASSN.1111. An Sist Sanit Navar. 2025. PMID: 40260690 Free PMC article. Spanish.

References

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1. Arnold D., Gelaye B., Goshu M., Berhane Y., Williams M. A. (2008). Prevalence and risk factors of gender-based violence among female college students in Awassa, Ethiopia. Violence and Victims, 23(6), 787–800. 10.1891/0886-6708.23.6.787 - DOI - PubMed
1. Ba I., Bhopal R. S. (2017). Physical, mental and social consequences in civilians who have experienced war-related sexual violence: A systematic review (1981–2014). Public Health, 142, 121–135. 10.1016/j.puhe.2016.07.019 - DOI - PubMed
1. Blay-Tofey M., Lee B. X. (2015). Preventing gender-based violence engendered by conflict: The case of Côte d’Ivoire. Social Science & Medicine, 146, 341–347. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.10.009 - DOI - PubMed
1. Charmaz K. (2016). The power of constructivist grounded theory for critical inquiry. Qualitative Inquiry, 23(1), 34–45. 10.1177/1077800416657105 - DOI

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[1] Anastario M. P., Adhiambo Onyango M., Nyanyuki J., Naimer K., Muthoga R., Sirkin S., Barrick K., van Hasselt M., Aruasa W., Kibet C., Omollo G. (2014). Time series analysis of sexual assault case characteristics and the 2007–2008 period of post-election violence in Kenya. PLoS One, 9(8), Article e106443. 10.1371/journal.pone.0106443 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Anastario M. P., Adhiambo Onyango M., Nyanyuki J., Naimer K., Muthoga R., Sirkin S., Barrick K., van Hasselt M., Aruasa W., Kibet C., Omollo G. (2014). Time series analysis of sexual assault case characteristics and the 2007–2008 period of post-election violence in Kenya. PLoS One, 9(8), Article e106443. 10.1371/journal.pone.0106443 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Arnold D., Gelaye B., Goshu M., Berhane Y., Williams M. A. (2008). Prevalence and risk factors of gender-based violence among female college students in Awassa, Ethiopia. Violence and Victims, 23(6), 787–800. 10.1891/0886-6708.23.6.787 - DOI - PubMed

[4] Arnold D., Gelaye B., Goshu M., Berhane Y., Williams M. A. (2008). Prevalence and risk factors of gender-based violence among female college students in Awassa, Ethiopia. Violence and Victims, 23(6), 787–800. 10.1891/0886-6708.23.6.787 - DOI - PubMed

[5] Ba I., Bhopal R. S. (2017). Physical, mental and social consequences in civilians who have experienced war-related sexual violence: A systematic review (1981–2014). Public Health, 142, 121–135. 10.1016/j.puhe.2016.07.019 - DOI - PubMed

[6] Ba I., Bhopal R. S. (2017). Physical, mental and social consequences in civilians who have experienced war-related sexual violence: A systematic review (1981–2014). Public Health, 142, 121–135. 10.1016/j.puhe.2016.07.019 - DOI - PubMed

[7] Blay-Tofey M., Lee B. X. (2015). Preventing gender-based violence engendered by conflict: The case of Côte d’Ivoire. Social Science & Medicine, 146, 341–347. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.10.009 - DOI - PubMed

[8] Blay-Tofey M., Lee B. X. (2015). Preventing gender-based violence engendered by conflict: The case of Côte d’Ivoire. Social Science & Medicine, 146, 341–347. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.10.009 - DOI - PubMed

[9] Charmaz K. (2016). The power of constructivist grounded theory for critical inquiry. Qualitative Inquiry, 23(1), 34–45. 10.1177/1077800416657105 - DOI

[10] Charmaz K. (2016). The power of constructivist grounded theory for critical inquiry. Qualitative Inquiry, 23(1), 34–45. 10.1177/1077800416657105 - DOI

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Multiyear, Multisectoral Training Program in Kenya to Enhance Medical-Legal Processes in Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Affiliations

Multiyear, Multisectoral Training Program in Kenya to Enhance Medical-Legal Processes in Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

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