BY DORIS KATHIA

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), particularly among the sexual minorities, is widespread and prevalent in both urban and rural parts of Kenya.

Over the last few of weeks, news has only been about violence and murder against different kinds of people and one that caught the public attention was the death of the LGBTIQ activist Edwin Chiloba – allegedly murdered by their partner.

The overwhelming national burden of gender-based violence is now being endured by the sexual minorities. The online hatred is also rampant and especially being fueled by the same leaders we elected in different parts of the country causing both physical, emotional harm.

Often, very few people understand their rights – leaving them being violated and with no means or an understanding of the need to report, demand for respect of their bodily autonomy or know when to end relationships when they aren’t working.

Even though everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have that dignity respected and protected, we still witness bodies of sexual minority persons dumped as trash.

LGBTIQ persons are not second-class humans. Before anything their human rights must be respected. Being different, identifying different, loving different and expressing different from what is deemed normal should never be a reason for someone to die.

Intimate partner violence particularly against the sexual minorities is preventable and requires communal efforts not just organizations working around SRHR issues. There is also a need to sensitize and educate the public on the causes, nature, and consequences of, as well as mechanisms for, the prevention of SGBV/IPV against the LGBTIQ persons.

The constitution of Kenya guarantees equality and freedom from discrimination in that every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefits of the law and therefore, we must ensure safety of all persons regardless of their sexual orientation.