Phi Beta Delta hosts talk on sexual abuse in Kenya

Tuesday evening Dr. Carol Plummer of the Louisiana State University School of Social Work gave a talk on sexual abuse in Kenya to ONU students and faculty. Plummer’s talk, entitled “What we can learn and what we can do about the worldwide epidemic of sexual abuse: Current Efforts in Kenya,” was sponsored by Dr. Harry Wilson and Phi Beta Delta. Plummer told the audience that addressing the problem in Kenya was complicated by several factors, including a lack of training by medical and educational professionals, and the difficulty young victims who complain face from their families and communities. Data on the prevalence of sexual abuse is difficult to come by in many African nations, but Plummer cited evidence that that around forty percent of Kenyan victims are abused in school, and coupled with the danger of walking long distances to school, this keeps many young girls out of the schools. The high incidence of AIDS in Africa also contributes to the abuse of young victims who are seen as being more likely to be free of the disease. The solution, according to Plummer was continued efforts to educate public officials. She noted the success of a Kenyan programs that enlisted taxi drivers, who are often asked to drive sexual tourists to where young children are available for sex. The drivers are trained to spot such predators and to refuse them service or to turn them over to local police.