The hopes of getting relief after escaping war and poverty in Somalia to settle as refugees in Kenya are getting dashed for many Somali women.
Most of them are becoming victims of sex tourism as reports on cases of male exploitation keep increasing.
According to a Channel 4 news report, many Somali women, due to poverty, are being forced into sexual exploitation as men from their own country who emigrated to Europe and America are coming back in their numbers to have sex with them under the guise of marriage.
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With promises of a better life abroad, these women go through a fake marriage ceremony and are later abandoned, usually with children, as the men return to their families in the West.
Known as vacation marriage, the situation has left many of the life of the victims in shambles.
A victim, Ahan says she has been disowned by her family due to the so-called marriage.
“My brother drives the latest car but says he does not want to see me. He says he would run over me if he ever sees me…He thinks I have destroyed the family’s name and reputation.
“My sister was getting married the other day. They said look at your younger sister. But you, you brought us a bastard in your first marriage. Now I hate myself, I don’t love myself anymore,” she lamented.
“My son and I don’t have a life. We don’t even have a place to live,” she added.
Ahan’s situation summarises what many other women are going through in the east African nation, with some even being threatened with death by their so-called partners if they dared speak about their situation.
Even though the police are coming up with ways to clamp down on the activities of these sex tourists, it is proving difficult, according to the report.
Kenya was, last year, the only African country ranked in the top 10 sex tourism destinations in the world.
Despite the prevalence of HIV and STD’s, Kenya has reportedly become a popular destination among older white women who want to have some fun with a man while on vacation in the country. Children are also lured into prostitution by tourists willing to pay handsomely for sex in secret locations.
Somali refugee women are now being targeted by their own men as they tell their harrowing stories in the report below.
