Sexual perversion is an unnatural or abnormal form of sexual behaviour. In the last couple of months, various sections of the media have bombarded us with stories of sexual perversion in Kenya. The stories cut across all ages, marital status, education background, race, tribe, social and economic status. The shocking revelations have left many in disbelief.

The question at the back of many people’s minds is whether these acts are an indicator of the deteriorating social values in our society today coupled with a distorted sense of self-worth. Of importance is the need to address sexual perversion in our society. Failure to do so may result in a society where it is absurd to speak about morals, if the recent happenings are anything to go by.

There is real danger and remedial action must be taken decisively. The mutual view from people across the divide whom Parents talked to is that if the rest of the world is not willing to correct this moral decadency, Kenya SHOULD and MUST do it.

CASES OF SEXUAL PERVERSION IN KENYA…

Just recently, Kenyans watched in horror a report on TV of a family man in Naivasha who was involved in an unnatural act with a goat. The middle-aged family man, who pleaded guilty to the offence, was sentenced to seven years in prison. What was most troubling was the man justifying his actions to have been driven by his mistrust of women. This left many with a number of questions. How was the man’s marital life? Had he sought any help regarding his marriage? Was he sexually starved? All these and many more questions remain unanswered.

And just when people were recovering from that bizarre happening, another man was caught in Kiambu County having sex with a nine-month pregnant cow. The cow, which is reported to have been baying, awoke people in the thick of the night and the man was caught in the heinous act. The family man was beaten up by an agitated mob and taken to hospital in a critical condition. “What was going on in this man’s mind to warrant him to commit such a grave offence?” I wonder.

The old adage that real life is stranger than fiction may as well apply to this case. I am not sure what’s the most disturbing element of this story: the fact that he was caught having sex with a cow, that the cow was in calf, or that he had a wife and children. And not far away in Limuru, another man believed to have been high on drugs was found having carnal knowledge of a dog, while several girls were arrested in Mombasa for committing unnatural acts with a dog under the watch of a foreign man. It was widely reported that the girls were shooting a pornographic movie in the sexual act with the dog. Why a human being would have sex with an animal is quite distressing. This act of bestiality, is a sin addressed in the Bible in Deuteronomy 27:21 –“Cursed is the man who has sexual relations with any animal.”

The moral quagmire presented by these stories leaves a lot to be desired. It tears into the moral fabric of a nation believed to have about 80 percent of its population as Christians and more than 10 percent Muslims. Could our institutions be part of the problem by abdicating their responsibilities? What would make 11 beautiful, college-educated girls with seemingly bright future to be lured into sexual activity with a dog? Could financial hardships be the reason behind these despicable acts of bestiality? What is the role of parents, guardians, and have they lost their place as role models?

The place of religious institutions and leaders cannot also be left out of this equation. What are religious leaders doing to curb such acts? Where is the conscience that would prevent one from such things? The society needs to reassess if this could be a representation of a declining nature of our national image – from corruption, tribalism, and impunity, to injustices against the innocent and now immorality – this is a tainted image of Kenya.

There is need to introspectively re-examine our individual and collective morals. Religious institutions need to play their role without fear. On the other hand, parents and guardians should reclaim their role modelling responsibility so that families can produce responsible children. Responsibility on a personal level should be reclaimed as a virtue. Without fixing the moral integrity of an individual and a nation at large, we will continue to grapple in confusion and expect even more shocking revelations in future.

The bible addresses sexual perversion as the work of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV): “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelling, and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

It is clear that God does not view these works of the flesh with pleasure no matter who may endorse them; whether a high governmental official, a church leader, a community leader, or a common citizen.

These works remain condemned by God as recorded also in I Corinthians 6:9-10 –

“Know ye…the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God… be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor adulteress, nor effeminate, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.”

According to Pastor Bernard Bwala of Nairobi Happy Church, sexual perversion is an indicator of the rot in the society. “What we are seeing now is a moral issue in our society. It explains how low we have gone as a people. The family institution has not played its role well, nor the church. Many parents have delegated their parenting roles to their house helps and teachers and they do not care to teach their children issues around sexuality.

Maybe some are too embarrassed to teach them on this all important topic,” he says.

“Most children learn about sexuality from their peers and the media, which may give distorted information. I believe that the recent happenings are a wake up call to everyone to take up their position, and mostly to the men and women of the cloth, to offer true guidance and stewardship. Even as we strive to do all that, we should not forget that such evils are prophesied in the bible and could just be an indicator that we are living in the last days,” adds Pastor Bwala.

Melissa Mueni, a mother of three teenagers, who lives in Kariobangi South, Nairobi says that she is saddened by the decaying morals in the country but is quick to point out that it is a wake up call for her and other parents to take the bull by its horns regarding sexual issues.

“I hope it is not too late to have a candid conversation with my children. I have been shying away from discussing such matters with them but now I have to swallow my reservations and tell them what is right,” she says. The church under the umbrella body of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) recently challenged the government to crack down and deport foreigners who have been enriching themselves by using girls to engage into prostitution. This was in reference to the case involving the girls who were shooting a pornographic movie in Mombasa.

In a report read by one of the bishops from Coast province, the men of God expressed their concerns on the emerging culture of sexual perversion in the province and called for the government’s intervention. “The reported cases of beastiality, prostitution and sexual exploitation of children are of great concern to us as a church and we condemn the act,” said the bishop while expressing shock that Kenya has been turned into a sex tourism destination.

When all is said and done, everyone has a role to play to ensure the society redeems itself from the tainted image. We can’t just sit and wait for the government to act, after all each one of us forms the government.

OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL PERVERSION…

Exhibitionism: this can be defined as the recurrent urge or behaviour to expose one’s genitals to an unsuspecting person, or to perform sexual acts that can be watched by others.

Fetishism: this is the use of inanimate (non-living) objects to gain sexual excitement.

Frotteurism: it is the recurrent urges of behaviour of touching or rubbing against a non-consenting person.

Paedophilia: this is a condition of being sexually attracted to children.

Sexual Masochism: it can be defined as the recurrent urge or behaviour of wanting to be humiliated, beaten, bound, or otherwise made to suffer for sexual pleasure.

Sexual Sadism: the recurrent urge or behaviour involving acts in which the pain or humiliation of a person is sexually exciting.

Transvestic fetishism: this is a form of sexual perversion where there is an experience of arousal from wearing clothing associated with members of the opposite sex.

Voyeurism: this is the recurrent urge or behaviour to observe an unsuspecting person who is naked, disrobing, or engaging in sexual activities, or who is engaging in activities usually considered to be of a private nature.

This list is not exhaustive as there are many other forms of sexual perversion occurring in the society and we only sought to highlight a few.