Kenyan influencer Lydia Wanjiru has spoken candidly about the emotional toll of the rising cases of sexual violence and femicide, revealing that the disturbing news circulating on social media has left her struggling to cope.
In an emotional video shared on Instagram, Lydia, a survivor of sexual assault, said the constant exposure to reports of women and children being raped, murdered and abused has become deeply traumatising.
She admitted that there are days when she wishes she could retreat from the world, switch off social media and find peace away from the heartbreaking stories.
“It's days like this that I wish I had a luxury overwhelming job and a mother, yaani ningeenda tu home nizime social media even for a month, nilale tu naamka nakula nalala natembea kwa mashamba,” she said.
Lydia Wanjiru Speaks on the Trauma of Sexual Violence
Lydia explained that having an online community means she regularly encounters distressing messages and reports involving very young children, adult women, elderly people and men who have experienced sexual violence.
She expressed concern about how survivors often end up blaming themselves for the abuse they suffered instead of placing responsibility on the perpetrators.
“That's how wicked the society has become, like we still even feel the need to feel like maybe we are at fault, we are the reason why what was done to us was done to us,” she said.
The influencer also highlighted the disturbing tendency of survivors to question their own actions, even when they are the victims of violence.
She referenced a video she had encountered on TikTok featuring an elderly man recounting an alleged sexual assault by six men lasting more than six hours. According to Lydia, what particularly troubled her was the man's apparent tendency to blame his intoxication for what had happened to him.
Feruz Hussein’s Killing Deeply Affects the Influencer
Her remarks come amid public outrage over the killing of Feruz Hussein, whose boyfriend, Nelson Ambia, is suspected of murdering her and allegedly sharing a video of her body with her family.
The case has intensified conversations about femicide, violence against women and the disturbing circulation of graphic content involving victims.
Lydia said the incident, alongside other reports of violence, had taken a significant emotional toll on her.
“And that video of that guy mwenye aliua dame wake akachukua video akawatumia wazazi wake and he is in court just like feeling so full of himself about what he did... guys! You don't understand what that thing is doing to me,” she said.
She further revealed that she had to reassure herself that things would be fine just to get through the previous week, only to find herself struggling with similar feelings again.
Lydia also spoke about her fear of seeing dead bodies, explaining that waking up to footage of a deceased woman on social media had been particularly distressing.
Lydia Wanjiru Sends Message to Survivors
The influencer extended her sympathy to survivors navigating social media during such a difficult period, acknowledging how overwhelming it can be to encounter reports of sexual violence everywhere.
“I'm so sorry to everyone who has gone through rape and they are having to navigate this season of social media where unaingia tu social media theres news left right and centre, im so sorry,” she said.
Lydia added that the most heartbreaking reality is that, even as Kenyans discuss these cases and demand justice, violence continues to happen in different parts of the country.
“And do you know that the saddest part about this as we all listening to this or talking about it, kuna mahali mtoto anarepiwa, anauliwa, kuna mahali femicide inafanyika... there's just something so injustice being done to someone, this right minute and second,” she said.
