The Forum’s programme coordinator, Alice Kathumba, says they felt duty bound to take the step.

“We want them to enjoy their rights because sex work is business. They should be able to protect themselves from various forms of abuses by reporting various malpractices to law enforcers,” she said.

Kathumba added that the sex workers “have to pay rentals, fend for their children. So, their clients should not abuse them. They have to respect their commercial sex workers rights,” she said.

She said the training has been held with financial support from Action Aid to the tune of K1.7 million.

One of the sex workers, Susan Mayani (not real name), testified that they encounter various forms of abuses from their clients.

“There are some men who seek our services but pay a little or nothing thereafter. We would sometimes charge K10, 000 then it goes down to K2, 000 and if you resist they would beat you up and pay nothing,” she lamented.

She told Zodiak Online that this is impacting on their income security.

“So we will use the knowledge we have acquired through the training in fighting the vise by reporting to law enforcing institutions for help,” she said.