Estimating the economic impact of gender-based violence on women survivors: A comparative study of support program interventions in Makueni and Naivasha, Kenya.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the economic cost of GBV from the perspective of a women survivor who sought help from two identified programs (Makueni GBVRC and Life Bloom Services International [LBSI]). DESIGN: A mixed method research design combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. SITE: Makueni GBVRC in Makueni County, overseen by the Makueni County government, and LBSI in Naivasha, Nakuru County, a non-profit organization devoted to serving local communities. PARTICIPANTS: Study participants include women survivors of GBV, aged 18 and above, actively seeking services at Makueni GBVRC and LBSI. INTERVENTIONS: The study adopts a qualitative approach to delve into the intricate economic costs of GBV on survivors. Additionally, quantitative data analysis employs an accounting model to ascertain the financial implications. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The costs analyses were done from the perspective of the women survivors. An accounting model was utilized to evaluate the cost of GBV on selected survivors. Furthermore, the research explores the enduring consequences for survivors, including psychological trauma and susceptibility to stress-related diseases. RESULTS: The findings reveal substantial economic costs linked to GBV, adversely affecting survivors, their children, and society at large. These costs encompass direct expenditures on medical care, legal representation, and counseling, as well as indirect costs, such as lost productivity. CONCLUSIONS: Beyond immediate and indirect costs, the study underscores the existence of opportunity costs-what survivors and affected children could attain in the absence of GBV.