NAIROBI, Kenya – Children with intellectual disabilities in Kenya are facing a rising threat of online sexual exploitation and abuse, according to a new report commissioned by ZanaAfrica in partnership with child rights organisations.
The report warns that these children—who make up an estimated 2.5 per cent of Kenya’s population—are increasingly being targeted on digital platforms like TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube, often with devastating consequences.
Due to difficulties in recognising abuse and communicating their experiences, children with intellectual disabilities are especially vulnerable to online grooming, coercion, and sexual extortion.
“Many are lured with gifts, manipulated into sharing explicit content, or blackmailed after images are shared without consent,” the report states.
The findings come amid a sharp rise in internet use among Kenyan youth.
According to the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, internet use increases dramatically with age—from under 5 per cent among children aged 10–14, to more than 40 per cent for those aged 15–19.
Overall, 67 per cent of children aged 12–17 are now online.
While internet access has opened up opportunities for learning and connection, it has also exposed vulnerable children to new forms of exploitation—particularly those with disabilities, who often lack digital safety knowledge and access to inclusive sex education.
“The country has witnessed an upsurge in such violations, and one must question why this is happening now,” said Josephine Kisilu, Dean of Studies at the Kenya Institute of Special Education. “It is particularly concerning that the perpetrators, according to the research, span all social classes.”
A Silent Crisis
Children with intellectual disabilities often navigate the digital world with minimal guidance or support.
The report cites a combination of risk factors: poor digital literacy, inaccessible online platforms, parental misconceptions about disability and sexuality, and widespread stigma that results in their exclusion from sex education.
These systemic gaps leave many children unprepared to recognise, avoid, or report abuse.
Data from the Disrupting Harm project cited in the report paints a disturbing picture:
- 7% of internet-using children in Kenya were offered money or gifts in exchange for sexual images in the past year.
- 3% were blackmailed online to engage in sexual acts.
- 7% had sexual images of themselves shared without their consent.
The report also notes that many victims had previously experienced abuse offline, compounding their emotional trauma and increasing their vulnerability online.
Justice System Gaps and Legal Blind Spots
Survivors who attempt to seek justice face further hurdles.
Many are required to testify in court—often in front of their abusers—while legal protections remain outdated or unclear.
Kenya’s laws, the report warns, do not adequately address newer forms of online child sexual exploitation, such as live-streamed abuse or sexually explicit content created using artificial intelligence.
There is also a notable lack of specialised reporting mechanisms and support services for children with disabilities.
The report calls for urgent reforms, including inclusive digital safety education, caregiver training, improved accessibility of digital platforms, and a revamp of Kenya’s child protection and legal frameworks to reflect the evolving nature of online abuse.
“I hope this research provides insights that will support government agencies and stakeholders in tackling this alarming trend,” Kisilu added.
