Lusaka | Sunday
ZAMBIAN sex workers, who recently staged a protest against police harassment, now want a law that prohibits prostitution to be abolished.
”In most countries prostitution is allowed because it is also a way of earning an income,” said a prostitute who asked not to be identified.
She was among a group of prostitutes who staged a surprise protest march on Tuesday against police officers, whom they accused of raping them each time they were arrested.
”Every time we are arrested, the police demand sex from us instead of taking us to court. We are tired of being abused and the government should just legalise prostitution,” she told state radio, which did not broadcast her name.
Five policemen face dismissal after prostitutes accused the officers of raping them as a bribe for their release from custody.
A cross-section of society, including senior government officials, stunned by the prostitutes’ revelations, condemned the police and called for harsh punishment for the culprits.
”We shall follow up this matter until justice is done. The police are supposed to protect citizens and not abuse them,” said Grace Kanyanga, a women’s rights activist.
But the call by prostitutes to legalise their trade has been criticised by many Zambians who said the women have misinterpreted the widespread sympathy expressed by people over their alleged abuse by police.
”Actually, they should be arrested and charged for practising prostitution, which is illegal in Zambia,” said Judith Kapingipanga, minister in charge of social welfare.
”I was only disappointed that police officers who were supposed to have arrested sex workers ended up abusing them,” said Kapingipanga, who forced the police to open an inquiry into the affair involving the five officers.
Kapingipanga said she did not support prostitutes when she instructed the police to take disciplinary action against those alleged to have abused sex workers.
”These people are sick and need help. They should not mistake our sympathy for them as support for what they are doing,” said Pastor John Mwanza, from a Pentecostal Church.
”Zambia is a Christian country and we should never tolerate people who are calling for the legalisation of sin,” Mwanza said.
The sex workers argued that the ban on prostitution should be abolished because each time they were arrested, the police charge them only with either loitering or indecent exposure when they are found in public places at night.
”It is difficult to prove prostitution in court. We need to have evidence to the effect that actually a man paid for sex,” a police representative said.
But prostitutes have also argued that they could not have illicit sex without men who pay for it, so men should be arrested for practising prostitution.
”Nobody can support prostitution especially in this era of AIDS,” said Christine Musonda, a social worker involved in the rehabilitation of sex workers.
A few years ago, an organisation called Tasintha, meaning ”We have stopped,” was formed by prominent Zambian women to help prostitutes to stop their trade and learn skills such as tailoring and dress-making.
But most recruits deserted the Tasintha centre and ended up back in their old trade, saying they could not make enough money from their new skills.
The centre, which had received considerable western support, has since been shut down.- Sapa-AFP