This study sought to determine the relationship between bride price and the incidences of violence against women among selected communities living in North Meru and Kisii districts, Kenya. It particularly focused on how ‘commercialization’ of bride price relates to prevalence and extent of domestic violence. The two communities were selected for the study because CREAW had already established strong links with them as a result of having worked closely with them at grassroots level. CREAW had indeed worked with various like-minded Community Based Organizations (CBOs) most of which had felt that domestic violence is on the increase in these regions. One of the hypothesized causes to this scenario was commercialization of bride price which makes male spouses perceive to have bought their wives. In the event of any domestic misunderstanding, men who have paid hefty bride price would therefore vent their frustration through perpetration of violence to their wives.

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