Today, we look at a little-known but crucial reality unfolding in Kenya, through the lens of National Sex Workers Day, celebrated on December 17. An event that highlights the precarious living conditions and challenges faced by these individuals who practice a stigmatized and often marginalized profession.
At the heart of this issue, Agnes Mukina, a sex worker based in Thika, Kiambu County, shares her emotionally overwhelming experience. Every evening, she goes to her workplace with apprehension, fearing the violence and abuse she is exposed to. She recounts the traumatic incident where a client assaulted her, raped her and refused to pay her, leaving her with an indescribable mixture of fear and distress.
On the other hand, Clavian Kiangari speaks to the Kiambu Sex Workers Alliance, expressing the trauma she carries, while highlighting the crucial aspect of her work to provide for her family’s basic needs. These poignant stories reveal the complex realities and moral dilemmas that sex workers face on a daily basis.
Beyond the social aspect, the legal aspect of the issue is also addressed. The difficult quest for justice for victims of sexual violence is highlighted, with systemic barriers and stigmas hindering the process. Kiaswa, through its legal support, strives to accompany these vulnerable individuals in their quest for redress and recognition of their fundamental rights.
However, the shadow of the law looms over this community, as prostitution remains illegal in Kenya, de facto criminalizing sex workers and depriving them of legal recourse. Voices are being raised, calling for decriminalization that would allow for better protection of rights, easier access to health and a reduction in the violence endured.
Jessica Laura, a leading figure in this fight, highlights the hypocrisies and pretenses surrounding the issue, pointing out the duality of attitudes of the authorities and members of society. She calls for collective awareness to break taboos and prejudices, and allow sex workers to live and work with dignity.
In conclusion, the National Sex Workers Day in Kenya reveals the crucial issues that this community faces, but also the resilience and determination that drive them. It is a call to action, solidarity and empathy towards individuals who are often invisible and marginalized, but whose voices deserve to be heard and respected.