Kenya’s courts have received over 28,000 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) between 2022 and 2025, but more than 8,000 remain unresolved, revealing major challenges in handling these sensitive crimes.
The data, released under the Judiciary’s Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Strategy 2023–2030, shows both the scale of the problem and the strain on the justice system.
Between 2022 and 2025, courts recorded 28,146 SGBV-related cases, with 20,013 concluded. Grievous harm made up the largest portion, with 17,712 cases filed and 13,869 resolved, marking the highest number of cases closed among all categories.
Defilement followed with 8,071 cases filed, but only 4,474 were resolved, showing a heavy backlog in one of the most socially and emotionally impactful crimes.
Rape cases numbered 1,029, with 647 concluded, leaving hundreds still pending. Sexual assault saw 211 cases filed and 159 resolved. The Judiciary’s report also captured other offences, including indecent or unnatural acts, with 575 filed and 480 resolved, and incest, with 326 cases filed and 238 resolved. Assault cases stood at 133 filed and 58 resolved, while kidnapping and abduction had 89 cases, almost all of which—88—were concluded.
The figures indicate that while progress has been made in handling SGBV cases, resolution rates differ depending on the type of offence, with serious sexual crimes like defilement and rape still showing lower clearance levels.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, President William Ruto described the findings as “deeply troubling,” saying they reflect the lived realities of survivors. “This report is more than a technical document; it is a reflection of the voices, fears, and hopes of the Kenyan people, especially survivors of gender-based violence,” he said.
The President commended the taskforce, chaired by former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza, for engaging communities, survivors, experts, and institutions across all 47 counties.
He added that the report highlights the “scale, complexity, and evolving nature” of GBV, which affects women, men, girls, and boys, with women and girls disproportionately impacted.
Ruto further noted that the report’s findings on femicide, domestic violence, harmful cultural practices, and technology-facilitated abuse call for urgent national reflection and action. He emphasized that addressing these issues is critical to ensuring justice for survivors and creating a safer society for all Kenyans.
