Africa’s sex workers are being battered by lockdowns, clients and even the police

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Already stigmatised by many, the continent’s sex workers no longer have money leading them to take more risks — or starve

Nairobi — Peninah Wanjiru wasn’t really one to take chances. Her friends said the Kenyan sex worker was careful how she conducted business at her home in Majengo, an informal settlement on the outskirts of Nairobi, where she only allowed clients in for a “quickie”.

“It’s really frightening what we are seeing happening across the country,” said Peninah Mwangi, executive director of the Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme, a sex worker-led organisation with 10,000 members in Kenya. This has led to increased violence from clients, who are often demanding lower rates and more risqué services and attacking sex workers if they refuse.

Customers are staying away for fear of contracting the virus, and restrictions on movement, shortages of transport, and closures of bars and brothels have left sex workers struggling to survive. “Sex workers are an easy target in a time of crisis. Clients feel they can take advantage of them, and law enforcement think they can use them to show that they are implementing Covid-19 measures,” said Kamau. “Even the community is blaming them. Sex workers are being forced to work in their homes during the day, which attracts attention ... there have been incidents of mob justice where neighbours have attacked sex workers.

Female sex workers are 13 times more likely to become infected with HIV than adults in the general population, according to UNAids, with more than 50% of sex workers in some countries in Eastern and Southern Africa living with HIV. Mumba said of particular concern are undocumented migrant sex workers in countries such Botswana, who regularly return to their homes in neighbouring Zimbabwe to collect medication but were now forced off treatment due to borders being closed.

 

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