27 sex workers killed in Nairobi this year, says lobby group

Sex workers along Duruma road in Nairobi. [File. Standard]

At least 27 female sex workers have been murdered in Nairobi this year alone.

These deaths are not random, they are enabled by laws that criminalise their work, leaving women vulnerable and abusers shielded from accountability.

As the world marks the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers on December 17, activists and ambassadors from the Sex Workers Outreach Programme (SWOP) are calling attention to a truth Kenya continues to avoid: violence against sex workers persists because the very laws meant to govern society actively endanger those they label criminals.

“When the state labels sex workers as criminals, police protection, medical care, and justice are denied. Reporting violence can mean jail, or even death,” says SWOP.

Survivors fear retaliation, evidence is lost, police look the other way, and abusers act with impunity. Survivors recount being told by attackers: “Utanipeleka wapi? Utado?” essentially, “Where will you report me? Nowhere.”

Female sex workers face daily violence from clients, police, and strangers, with little protection from the law. SWOP Ambassadors documented 345 cases of violence against women sex workers in Nairobi in 2025, 27 of which ended in murder.

“These are not mere statistics, they are lives lost because silence often felt safer than seeking help,” says SWOP ambassadors.

Criminalising sex work allows abusers to operate freely. But evidence shows what works: when survivors are supported by paralegals, receive non-judgmental medical care, have legal representation, and witnesses are protected, cases progress. Arrests happen, convictions occur, and violence is deterred. Survivors report not because they are brave alone, but because the system finally functions.

Yet the government’s accountability remains lacking. The Presidential Taskforce on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, established to tackle systemic violence, received testimony and data from sex workers. A year later, its report remains unpublished, a broken promise to women, the public, and families of the deceased. A national response that excludes sex workers is neither inclusive nor fair. SWOP demands that the Taskforce report be released immediately and used to shape policy.

Decriminalisation is central to protecting sex workers. Sections 153 and 154 of the Penal Code criminalise consensual adult sex work. These laws do not prevent violence; they make survivors disposable while shielding their abusers.

Over a decade of documentation shows that legal reform alone is insufficient. Police files are sabotaged or disappear, bribery determines whose case proceeds, courts are underfunded, and powerful abusers are often protected by political and law enforcement allies. The result: rapists and killers walk free, families receive no justice, and violence repeats.

SWOP calls for: increased oversight of police handling of violence, proper funding for health and courts, investigative journalism, and political courage to confront abusers in positions of power. Ending violence requires creating systems where harm is impossible and governments are accountable.

The media also plays a crucial role. Journalists are urged to report responsibly: use the plain-language definition of decriminalisation, avoid framing sex work itself as violence, and portray sex workers as empowered agents rather than helpless victims.

“Interview survivors only with informed consent, anonymise identities where requested, and collaborate with SWOP and other sex worker-led organisations to ensure safety and accuracy,” notes the organisations.

Across Africa, violence against sex workers is widespread and brutal, driven by criminalisation, stigma, and exclusion. The African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) Murder Monitoring Tool highlights the severity: over 80 per cent of reported cases occurred in Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, and Uganda, predominantly affecting female sex workers. Physical violence, including assaults and killings, is most common.

Shockingly, perpetrators include not only clients or intimate partners but also law enforcement officers and community members, underlining the systemic nature of abuse. Nearly half of all cases were classified as high urgency, requiring immediate support.

“These are not isolated incidents,” ASWA notes. “They are part of a broader system that punishes, silences, and dehumanises sex workers.” Criminalisation and stigma block access to justice, healthcare, and protection, leaving survivors with few safe reporting mechanisms.