Psychological Violence and Socio-Economic Development of Women in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

The growing corpus of studies on domestic violence continues to demonstrate that the vice, despite calls and efforts, is yet to be eliminated. As such, understanding gender violence requires a situation analysis that recognizes the effects of the larger social context on gender performances. This paper adds to this voice and seeks to understand the effects of psychological violence on the socio-economic development of women. By premising their arguments on the results of a study carried out in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, the authors posit that in light of the callous approach taken by patriarchal authorities towards domestic violence against women, it is paramount to educate the populace on the “invisible” effects of domestic violence. Using a case study research design, and by employing a random sampling procedure, the authors engaged 120 women (30 each from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Ngeria Prison, Eldoret Prison and Eldoret Police Station) who formed the study sample. Data was collected using questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions. The findings of the study demonstrated that psychological violence is rife in the study area. Moreover, the authors found out that psychological violence against women has an adverse effect on their socio-economic development. This paper therefore calls for a paradigm shift in the approach to domestic violence against women. It advocates for a more detailed look into the less visible effects of this vice. Unlike victims of physical violence who have signs which are, at times, easily visible, women who undergo psychological violence have a steeper ladder to climb since their suffering is not easy to discern. This scenario has been compounded by the misconception, perpetuated by patriarchal authorities, among the victims that such atrocities are part of family secrets and should remain so. The discussions in this paper are a great contribution to studies on domestic violence against women and contextualize new knowledge which will assist researchers and policy makers in understanding of various issues which are related to psychological domestic violence.

Keywords: psychological violence, domestic violence, women, Uasin-Gishu County, socio-economic development