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.