A report on sexual harassment has revealed that 60 per cent of people (especially women) working in the media space have experienced sexual harassment.

The report titled Sexual Harassment in the Kenyan Media Landscape 2024 was commissioned by the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK).

The study involved 240 participants, 20 Key Informant Interviews, and had as its aims including assessing the prevalence of sexual harassment, evaluating the existing legal framework and uncovering the underlying challenges to curbing such harassment.

The study findings revealed a disturbingly high prevalence of sexual harassment in Kenyan newsrooms.

"A staggering 60% of the respondents reported experiencing sexual harassment during their careers. These incidents ranged from unwelcome advances and requests for sexual favours, to offensive behaviour, and the use of sexually explicit language,” stated the report.

The study is a continuation of the WAN-IFRA research conducted between 2020 and 2021, which identified Kenya as having the highest prevalence of sexual harassment of female journalists in the region, with 79 per cent of them experiencing verbal sexual harassment.

It aimed to address the critical need for additional data that can be used to design effective interventions against sexual harassment in Kenya.

According to the report, most of the females who experienced sexual harassment were between the ages of 18 to 35, and 54 percent of journalists aged between 25 to 35 have experienced sexual harassment

It revealed that 40 percent of female interns have experienced sexual harassment which underscores the vulnerability of entry-level professionals in Kenyan newsrooms.

Interns, according to the report, are often eager to gain experience and establish themselves in the industry, making them susceptible to exploitation and harassment by their senior colleagues.

“This finding raises concerns about the lack of protection and mentorship available to young female journalists who are starting their careers,” said the report

According to the report, in the context of Kenya’s media landscape, sexual harassment can be linked to misogyny as 61 per cent of respondents indicated that they felt the issue of men who feel entitled resulted in a high prevalence of sexual harassment.

Over 50 percent of male respondents believed that women behaving inappropriately is a reason for sexual harassment, in contrast to 37 percent of women who share this opinion.

“This pervasive misogyny is what contributes to media capture. The fact that most victims of sexual harassment have not been able to attain justice, as male perpetrators continue to work in the newsroom, suggests there is an extensive form of media capture by patriarchal interests,” the report said.

The report showed that 64 per cent of the respondents said that current policies are insufficient in curbing sexual harassment with most women respondents stating that existing policies favour male journalists and protect them against sexual harassment compared to females.

Respondents also noted that there is a significant awareness gap regarding who can help combat sexual harassment, with 53 per cent noting the lack of guiding policies for journalists.

This, according to the report, leads to speculation and creates gaps exacerbated by issues such as the abused or harassed bearing the burden of proof, which tends to favour male harassers and discourages female journalists from reporting sexual harassment cases.

The report revealed that 71 percent of the respondents indicated knowledge of the perpetrators of sexual harassment, who have neither been prosecuted nor held accountable for their crimes.

However, approximately 46 percent of the respondents indicated a lack of knowledge regarding safe reporting mechanisms.

"This points to an inadequacy in reporting mechanisms and limited protection for victims. This situation amounts to media capture, as male journalists continue to enjoy privileges and favouritism due to lax policies intended to address sexual harassment,” the report said.

A significant 39.8 percent of participants indicated that a fundamentalist and conservative culture is responsible for the pervasive issue of sexual harassment