Durban - Decriminalising the sex trade will lead to further abuse by pimps and brothel owners. That was the opinion of two former sex workers in Durban, who have spoken out about last week's report on prostitution which called for public input on whether the oldest profession in the world should be decriminalised or not.
The SA Law Reform Commission’s (SALRC) report, titled “Report on Sexual Offences: Adult Prostitution”, proposed two options: to retain the criminalisation of sex work, but offer a way out for prostitutes, or partial decriminalisation which would target pimps, clients and others involved in the industry with the exception of the sex workers.
The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force (Sweat) has repeatedly called for decriminalisation of the trade, particularly in light of violence against women and health concerns for those in the sex industry, and has slammed the report, as have a number of civic organisations. These include Sonke Gender Justice, The Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) of Southern Africa, the Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition, The Triangle Project and Nacosa (Networking HIV/Aids Community of South Africa).
But two former sex workers, Donna and Tshepo (real names withheld), who have a number of years of experience in the brothels and on the streets of Durban, have said the trade should remain criminalised. However, they said laws should be changed so that pimps, brothel owners and clients should be arrested.
Speaking to The Independent on Saturday, both women appear matter-of-fact about their former lives where sex, drugs and men ruled, but a simmering anger surfaces when they speak about their pimps and brothel owners.
Donna, 29, who left the sex trade a couple of years ago, said: “I don't think it should be legalised ever because that will give the pimps the upper hand. Can you imagine what that will lead to?
“They should also jail the clients. Women are doing this out of desperation.”
Donna’s mother was murdered when she was young and there is no mention of a father.
“I come from a really bad background and always looked after myself. I met up with a guy when I was around 19, but we both had nothing.
“I saw other girls who were doing it (sex work), so I thought I would also do it just for a couple of months until I could make another plan. I started working at a place in Percy Osborne Road.
“I was very nervous for my first interaction because I didn't really know what to do. But it was for a ‘double’, so I had another girl with me who had been long in the business. I learned the ropes from her and it became easier and easier. It was a very strict place with no drugs or alcohol,” said Donna.
But then she fell pregnant, her appeal dropped and she ended up in a shelter. Once the baby was born, Donna was employed at another escort agency.
“There was a bar and I started drinking. I was also more free and was making more than R6000 a weekend. Life was lavish,” she recalled.
But she also started using cocaine, which then spread to “rock and tik”.
“I was just getting higher and higher, it was chewing up my money. The drugs took hold and my bills kept going up. The couple of months turned into years. At that point I was pregnant again and not getting much work. I decided I had to get out and kick the habit. Falling pregnant was a life-changing moment. That was three years ago,” she said, adding “there are so many girls on the street now and they are treated badly. I would never want my daughters to go through what I went through.”
Tshepo, 27, who has just left the industry, said she was trafficked.
“I was 20 years old and a student. I was taking drugs, but you must understand it was a gradual process. A friend said we should go up to Joburg to her friend there,” said Tshepo. But when she got there, the “friend” turned out to be a pimp.
“It's really dangerous out there. Pimps will beat you up if you don't want to go out. Once, I had to jump out of a moving car.
“The sex industry should not be legalised, but the pimps should be charged and the clients should be charged. I was never badly treated by police in Durban, but in Joburg there is a policeman who used to beat us up,” she said.
Tshepo recently reached a point where she had to escape.
“I realised what I was doing was morally wrong. I had wasted my life, I had nothing to show for it all and I had to get off drugs. I knew I just couldn't live like that anymore. I am trying now. I also have a daughter. What parent would want their daughter to be doing this?” she said.