Reconceptualising Domestic Violence in the 21st Century: Enhancing Recourse for Male Victims under the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act of Kenya

Abstract

Domestic violence is a serious public health, legal and social problem that permeates every sphere of human society. While historically, women have predominantly been on the receiving end of this vice, statistics from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 2014 reveal that many men are also victims at the hands of women, a trend that is quickly assuming a worrisome dimension. However, a myriad of factors has led to the silencing of male victims of domestic violence throughout history, most notably stereotypical notions of gender. Numerous laws and policies have been made across the world with the intent of curbing this menace since it first became a global phenomenon with its claws dug deep into the roots of society.