DIGITALLY CONFIDENT BUT STILL VULNERABLE? CAPABILITY, ENGAGEMENT, AND PERCEIVED ONLINE SAFETY AMONG WOMEN IN NAIROBI, KENYA
Dr. Gideon Kirui - Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Women’s digital participation provides opportunities for communication, learning and employment, but it also presents online safety risks. This study examined the relationships among digital confidence, formal digital safety training, internet use and perceived online safety among 208 adult women in Nairobi City County, Kenya. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire, and the data were analysed using descriptive and multivariable statistical methods. The findings show that 58.2% of participants reported high or very high digital confidence, while 23.1% felt safe or very safe online. Formal digital safety training was associated with high or very high confidence (OR = 2.69, 95% CI [1.32, 5.49]), but was not independently associated with perceived online safety. Greater digital confidence was associated with higher perceived safety (OR = 1.89, 95% CI [1.41, 2.54]), while more frequent internet use was associated with lower perceived safety (OR = 0.55, 95% CI [0.36, 0.83]). The findings indicate that perceived digital capability and perceived online safety are related but distinct. They suggest that digital safety interventions should develop individual capabilities alongside technological and institutional measures that support safer participation.