Prostitution strips women of their dignity and humanity
It is an impossible task to protect the human rights and dignity of women trapped in an industry that by necessity, strips them of their humanity and reduces them to mere commodities for sale.
Deputy President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa launched the “National Sex Worker Sector Plan” on Friday in an attempt to protect the human rights and dignity of women trapped in prostitution.
Family Policy Institute (FPI) commends government for any and all initiatives that genuinely assists women and children trapped in the mercilessly exploitative illegal sex trade in South Africa. However, we disagree with government that sex is “work”.
It is an impossible task to protect the human rights and dignity of women trapped in an industry that by necessity, strips them of their humanity and reduces them to mere commodities for sale. Prostitution is violence against women and children.
Family Policy Institute strongly urges government to declare all acts of prostitution as violence against women. Research indicates, it is prostitution that harms women and not the legal status or stigma attached to it. We further believe, referring to prostitution as “sex work” does nothing to normalise or destigmatise this sordid and harmful trade in human flesh. Legitimising sex as “work” places all women at risk.
FPI CEO, Mr Errol Naidoo said, “I am concerned that government is borrowing the language of foreign funded special interest groups to describe the illegal and harmful sex trade in South Africa. It appears government officials are listening to only one side of the debate, while ignoring the many NGO groups doing commendable work to help women and children exit the abuse and exploitation of the harmful sex trade.”
The overwhelming majority of women and children trapped in the illegal sex trade in South Africa are controlled and manipulated by crime syndicates, pimps and brothel owners. Decriminalising the entire sex industry, as demanded by the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) will legitimise the crime syndicates, pimps and brothels owners who mercilessly abuse and exploit women and children. Sex workers advised to maintain their health
Decriminalised or legalised prostitution is a gift to organized crime, pimps, brothels owners and other human parasites that prey on vulnerable women and children. South Africa has high rates of poverty and unemployment. This means, many more vulnerable women and children will be sucked into the exploitative sex industry and face the very real threat of being trafficked for sexual purposes by local and international crime syndicates already operating with impunity in South Africa.
Wherever prostitution was decriminalised or legalised, the sex industry expanded significantly. The authorities lost control of the sex trade in their nations and crime syndicates took over. Research from the Netherlands, Germany and certain parts of Australia indicate street prostitution, sex trafficking and child prostitution increased significantly wherever adult prostitution was legitimised.
The most effective way government can help protect the dignity and humanity of women trapped in prostitution is by clamping down on the demand for prostitutes. Men who buy prostitutes must be targeted and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. In addition, law enforcement must aggressively shut down the crime syndicates who run prostitution rings and arrest and prosecute the pimps and brothel owners who abuse and exploit vulnerable women and children.
The South African government must also act decisively to arrest and prosecute corrupt police officers who commit crimes against prostitutes.
Also read: Just let prostitution be?
FPI further urges government in partnership with civil society to introduce sustainable exit programs for prostitutes to help them escape this harmful and exploitative industry and lead a normal and dignified life. There is no way government or any other institution can restore and protect the humanity and dignity of women trapped in a trade designed to dehumanise them. Prostitution is inherently harmful, exploitative and destructive. No government program can change that.
FPI calls on the Christian Church to partner with government to help women and children exit the terrible abuse and exploitation of the illegal sex trade in South Africa.
