The KNBS survey finds 26 per cent of women have experienced technology-facilitated gender-based violence, with 21 per cent reporting abuse in the preceding year.
One in four Kenyan women has experienced online abuse, findings from a national survey show. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) puts lifetime exposure to technology-facilitated gender-based violence at 26 per cent.
The 2025/2026 Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey also found that 21 per cent experienced such violence in the preceding 12 months. The findings highlight digital harassment affecting women through social media, messaging services and other technologies.
Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp were among the platforms the survey identified as channels for abuse. Text messages also featured, showing that harassment extends beyond social media platforms.
Meanwhile, women in Narok, Kajiado and Samburu recorded some of the highest levels of technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
Online abuse involves partners and strangers
The survey identified current or former husbands and partners among the alleged perpetrators of technology-facilitated violence. Strangers and online stalkers also featured among those implicated in abuse targeting women.
Beyond experiences of digital violence, the survey examined public attitudes towards blaming victims. It also explored how communities would respond if they suspected a woman or girl faced a risk of violence.
The findings point to a need for stronger digital safety awareness and better reporting mechanisms. They also underline the importance of more effective responses to gender-based violence, both online and offline.
The survey is expected to inform national and county-level interventions to protect women and girls. Those efforts include addressing violence that perpetrators carry out through digital technologies.
