“The Multiplying Threats Facing Sex Workers”

By driving sex work further underground, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in violence, harassment, and abuse of sex workers. In Kenya, for example, incidences of violence against sex workers more than tripled during the first month of the pandemic, according to the Kenya Sex Workers Alliance. A sex worker in South Africa—Robyn Montsumi—died in the custody of police in April. Sex workers in South Africa experience systemic human rights violations and outright violence, discrimination, and harassment at the hands of the police at an alarming rate.