No Safe Space: Pervasive Violence Against Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Mombasa, Kenya

Gender-based violence against sexual and gender minority youth is a pressing human rights and public health concern, yet localized evidence from conservative African urban settings remains scarce. This study identified and categorized the specific forms of gender-based violence experienced by sexual and gender minority youth in Mombasa, a coastal Kenyan city shaped by religious conservatism and by the criminalization of consensual same-sex relations. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used within a pragmatic paradigm. Quantitative data were gathered from 96 young people aged 18 to 35 through a structured survey, and qualitative data were drawn from 25 in-depth interviews and 8 key informant interviews with community leaders, police officers, healthcare providers, and advocacy representatives. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and thematic analysis were combined during interpretation. Violence was pervasive, with 84.4 percent of respondents reporting victimization in the preceding twelve months. Emotional and psychological abuse was the most common form (84.4 percent), followed by social exclusion and family rejection (80.2 percent) and physical violence (68.8 percent). Social exclusion and emotional abuse were rated the most severe forms, and violence recurred for most respondents. Family members and figures of authority were the most frequently named perpetrators, and abuse occurred across home, community, workplace, and online settings. Different forms of violence were strongly intercorrelated, indicating compounded victimization. The findings show that these young people encounter violence in every domain of life and underscore the urgent need for legal reform, institutional accountability, and community-based protection.

Keywords: Coastal East Africa; Family rejection; Intersectionality; Minority stress; Sexual and gender minorities.