Women affected by sextortion have urged MPs to revise legislation to clearly define the offense and establish penalties for those involved.
Sextortion involves abusing the power to coerce individuals into providing sexual favors and has expanded to online platforms, where perpetrators manipulate victims into sharing explicit content under threat of exposure to friends and family.
Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris emphasized the severity of the issue and its detrimental impact on victims’ well-being and trust in institutions. The petition, presented to the National Assembly by Passaris, calls for amendments to the Penal Code, the Sexual Offences Act, and related criminal statutes, along with provisions for victim support.
“..take any other measures necessary and appropriate in the circumstances of this petition to address the menace of sextortion to protect the rights and dignity of all Kenyans,” the petition reads.
“Demands for sex in exchange for essential resources, services and opportunities is both an infringement of human rights and a significant obstacle to achieving development goals predicated on gender equality, transparent and accountable governance,” Passaris said.
She noted that Kenyan laws do not specifically recognise or define sextortion as a form of sexual exploitation, harassment and corruption, thus hindering effective prosecution and victim protection.
“Although Section 37 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Ac 2018 addresses certain aspects related to sextortion, there remains a critical need to comprehensively address this issue within the broader legal context,” she added.
Passaris highlighted in the petition that sextortion particularly impacts vulnerable women and girls, who are vulnerable due to factors like poverty, limited education, political marginalization, and disabilities. However, she emphasized that men and boys are also at risk.
Sextortion’s widespread prevalence not only causes immediate harm but also hinders women’s empowerment and equal participation in society, ultimately obstructing sustainable development efforts.
