Africa-Press – Kenya. The Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services has issued a strong warning to content creators who are producing videos that trivialise or glamorise gender-based violence.
In a statement, the Department for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action said the trend poses a serious threat to national efforts to combat abuse.
Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe said they had observed an alarming wave of online content in which GBV is portrayed as entertainment.
“The State Department for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action has noted with grave concern a disturbing trend on social media platforms where content creators are trivialising and normalising Gender-Based Violence (GBV) under the guise of entertainment,” she said.
She said the ministry was particularly concerned about two forms of videos circulating widely on platforms such as TikTok.
The first involves scripted skits depicting false cases of intimate partner violence.
In these videos, women appear with digitally generated bruises and act out scenarios in which abusive partners are forgiven after offering money or gifts.
The ministry said such content distorts the gravity of GBV and sends a harmful message that violence is a negotiable or transactional issue.
Wang’ombe also raised concern about children who are coached to participate in these skits, calling it a form of child abuse that risks inflicting long-term psychological harm.
The second category highlighted involves staged sexual harassment, where young men film themselves touching or accosting unsuspecting women in public spaces.
These clips are then presented as pranks and shared online for amusement.
The ministry said such acts amount to sexual assault and warned that presenting them as comedy normalises criminal behaviour.
“This kind of content is reprehensible. It undermines years of work to address GBV by treating intimate partner violence and sexual harassment as jokes,” the statement read.
The PS added that the trend creates a “cry wolf” effect that may make it harder for authorities to distinguish genuine cases from fabricated ones, potentially delaying urgent interventions for real survivors.
The government noted that it has invested heavily in combating all forms of abuse, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence, which is steadily increasing.
The ministry said it will not allow online content to undo the progress made through national and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
The State Department demanded the immediate removal of such videos and instructed creators to stop producing or circulating material that mocks or minimises GBV.
It further reminded the public that actions depicted in the videos are punishable under Kenyan law and that relevant agencies are now on high alert.
“Be advised that these actions are not only morally wrong but constitute punishable offences. Relevant government authorities are now on alert and will take decisive action against future violations,” she said.
“This is a matter of national concern,” Wang’ombe said, urging citizens to report offending content and to help promote a digital environment that upholds dignity, safety, and gender equality.
“This is a serious matter of national concern. We call on all citizens and social media users to reject and report such content, and to stand united in fostering a digital environment that respects dignity and promotes true gender equality,” Wang’ombe noted.
