Can a national government implement a violence prevention and response strategy for key populations in a criminalized setting? A case study from Kenya.

Introduction: Key population (KP) members frequently experience violence that violates their human rights, increases their risk of HIV, and acts as a barrier to access and uptake of HIV services. To be effective, HIV programmes for members of KPs need to prevent and respond to violence against them. We describe a violence prevention and response strategy led by the national KP programme in Kenya and examine trends in reports of and responses to violence (provision of support to an individual who reports violence within 24 hours of receiving the report).