Pretoria - The decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa is long overdue and the fact that this is in the pipeline is a huge step in giving sex workers the protection and dignity they deserve.
This is according to Connie Mathe, co-ordinator of the Asijiki Coalition for the Decriminalisation of Sex Work. Its aim is to advance the full decriminalisation of this profession.
In many countries, including South Africa, sex workers are suffering gross human rights violations.
The decriminalisation of sex work is therefore backed by major human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the South African Commission for Gender Equality.
Mathe said the fact that sex work was a criminal offence had resulted in high levels of violence, lack to access of basic services, including health, and the abuse of the workers, even by the police.
She said organisations supporting sex workers had been lobbying for years for this profession to be fully legalised.
Government recently initiated consultations with interest groups hoping to advance the debate.
Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister John Jeffery earlier held a closed-door meeting in Cape Town with representatives of the pro-decriminalisation sex work sector.
Among the groups he engaged with was the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force.
Mathe said she and her group were meeting with the deputy minister this week.
Jeffery intends to have a series of similar meetings with other stakeholders to pave the way for decriminalising sex work.
Mathe said this was a great move, as for many years the pleas of these workers had fallen on deaf ears.
“It’s definitely time and a huge step forward.
“It will not only give these workers more opportunities such as health and other care, but it will reduce the stigma associated with this profession.”
Mathe said if society recognised sex work as a profession, they would respect it.
According to her, one of the biggest problems at the moment is that these workers are not protected and they are often arrested by the police and ill-treated.
Mathe believes that once the profession is fully legalised, the SAPS and these workers can build a relationship and work together.
Mathe said once decriminalised, there could also be stringent provisions made to ensure that no under-age girls are used as sex workers.
It would also be a huge step in combating child trafficking.
Pretoria News