A group of commercial sex workers under the aegis of
Nigerian Sex Workers’ Association (NSWA) has appealed to the federal government
to legalize prostitution in the country so that they can do their work in a
human environment free of violence, especially for from their clients, thugs
and law enforcement agents.
Briefing newsmen in Abuja during the inauguration of a new report
titled: `Understanding the High Risk of Urban Sexual Networks in Nigeria’,
National Coordinator of the group, Amaka Enemo, said legalizing commercial sex
work will also make for effective control of HIV and other sexually transmitted
infections.
She said that everybody was at risk, adding that most of the
times, police and other law enforcement agents exploit sex workers when they
raid their brothels or streets where they conduct their business.
Enemo said: “When they are arrested, some of the law enforcement
agents demand and conduct unprotected sexual acts with the sex workers who do
not have money.
“This exposes the sex workers to the risk of contracting HIV
and other sexually transmitted infections.”
According to Enemo, decriminalizing sex work will reduce the
risk and the violence sex workers faced in Nigeria.
She added that government would also benefit from the sex
workers because they would pay tax.
The National Coordinator said that in Amsterdam where sex
work is legalized, sex workers pay 160 Euros to enable them to stay in a
`window for eight hours.’
She explained that window is a place where a sex worker
stays to wait for her clients.
Enemo said the report highlighted areas and populations who
are at risk of contracting HIV infections who were yet to receive any
intervention.
She said the report also highlighted places in Abuja where
sex workers do not know about condom, lubricants and other services.
She urged the public not to criminalize sex work but to
protect sex workers in order for the society to be free of sexually transmitted
infections.
“If a sex worker is infected with HIV and sleeps with a man
and transmit the disease to him, the man will eventually transmit the infection
to either his wife or girlfriend and others.
“The best thing to do is to support them, decriminalize
their work so that they can do their work in a human environment,’’ Enemo
added.
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