8 years old girl is nursing injuries at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital after being stabbed with a hot knife in her private parts for allegedly stealing sh. 50 from her step mother. The step mother tied the minor on a bed before she started torturing her. The young girl was forced to spend two days with the wounds as her step mother locked her in a room.
Doctors says that the girl will have to undergo surgery as she had sustained serious wounds and burns from the ordeal. The girl is said to have been stabbed severally using a hot knife but two wounds on the upper side of the thighs were more serious and required immediate attention.
The said step mother kept the girl hidden from her father who later realized what had happened and rushed her to hospital. Police are holding the her at Kisii central police before she is arraigned in court.
In Kenya child abuse is sadly prevalent but largely unreported due to the fact that it is mostly carried out by family members or individuals who are known to the child. In some cases the abusers are the guardians of the child and the children keep quiet at the threat of being disowned or kicked out. Some cases of child abuse are even widely accepted by the society like having underage relatives come work for us in exchange for school fees which in the actual sense is child labour.
Childline Kenya is an NGO that works to stop child abuse and provide a safe environment for all children. They do this via an emergency toll free national helpline which is monitored 24 hours a day, the National Child Helpline is 116 and the WhatsApp number is 0799873107. One can also be able to chat with them on their site.