South+Africa

=Sex Work in South Africa=

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__The History: British Colonization and Cape Town, 1866__
Prior to1866, sex work was viewed as more of a health concern than a legal concern. It wasn't until the proliferation of STI contraction among the British troops, during the initial colonization process of South Africa, that the British found it necessary to make provisions for their troops and sex workers (Hiersche, 2014).

Contagious Diseases Act, 1868. - This act was created to protect British troops stationed in south Africa, frequenting the services of sex workers. This act was repealed in 1872 (Hiersche, 2014). Contagious Diseases Prevention Act, 1885. - This act was created due to the overwhelming STI contraction among the troops, being viewed as a real threat to maintaining a healthy military regime, thus effecting their efforts to effectively colonize South Africa (Hiersche, 2014). This act included mandatory medical treatment and the registration of sex workers.

“One could not punish ‘animal sensuality on the part of the natives’ and at the same time pass a measure ‘encouraging animal sensuality on the part of the Europeans’” (Hiersche, 2014, p. 17).

Union Public Health Act, 1919 - This act repealed the Contagious Diseases Prevention Act of 1885, and continued mandatory medical treatment until cured. Noncompliance with the act could result in legal action (Hiersche, 2014). Immorality Act, 1957 - This act repealed the Union Public Act of 1919, and explicitly labeled sex work as a crime. It was due to this act that the criminalization of sex work began to take place (Hiersche, 2014). Sexual Offenses Act, 1957 - This act was a continuance of the Immorality Act, but included details about brothels and pimps. This act was also more detailed about sexual relations between whites and sex workers of color (Hiersche, 2014).

__ **Sex Work in South Africa Today** __

South Africa has about 153, 000 sex workers including women, men, and transgender. Statistics retrieved from the [|South African National Aids Council]

Why sex work?

 * Poverty - Many sex workers need money to maintain their livelihood, and families. Without the often required skills and experience needed to work in the corporate job market, and the resources needed to maintain a socially acceptable profession, sex work is seen as their only chance of survival (Leggett, 1999).
 * Trafficking - Sex workers were kidnapped and/or forced into prostitution( Walker, 2015).
 * Money - Sex workers viewed and enjoyed sex work as a lucrative profession (Wojcicki, 2002).
 * Drugs - Sex workers would use their profits to support drug addiction (Leggett, 2001).

Cape Sex Workers Morn

__The Dark Side of Sex Work__



 * Criminalization - Due to the acts that were passed, sex workers were seen and treated as criminals (Walker, 2015).
 * Discrimination in Health Care (Private Clinics vs. Public Clinics) - Private clinics were viewed as providing better quality health care, more patient centered, and tended to respect confidentiality; but were more expensive than public clinics. Public clinics were often located in rural areas, lacked resources, and provided minimal health education information (Scorgie, 2013).
 * Patriarchy - Due to heteronormative gender roles practiced in South Africa, many men clients viewed women as less than, or needing to be submissive to the mans demands. This created intense heterosexist views toward sex workers, influencing how sex workers were treated, often resulting in marginalization (Walker, 2015)..
 * Physical Violence - Many sex workers experience physical abuse, rape, and other types of sexual assault from clients and law enforcement (Mgbako, 2013).
 * Sexual Health (e.g., HIV, STIs, terminated pregnancies, urogenital problems, etc.) - Many sex workers in South Africa are HIV positive (Leggett, 2011). Sex workers were not receiving the appropriate care, and having to compromise their health by using alternative medications and treatments; sometimes receiving no treatment at all (Scorgie, 2013).
 * Violation of Privacy - Healthcare workers would expose patients occupation and health condition to other staff, to shame or embarrass sex workers; treating sex working patients as if they were on display. The other healthcare workers would look on with disgust (Scorgie, 2013).
 * Double Stigma - Persons that were both a sex worker and gay, specifically men, experienced a double stigma. Gay male sex workers felt they received worst treatment from medical staff because they were gay (Scorgie, 2013).

__**What Do Sex Workers Want?**__


Decriminalization - Sex workers should not be treated as criminals, for engaging in sexual practices between consenting adults (Walker, 2015). Sensitivity Training for Health Workers - Health workers should be more aware and sensitive to the needs of patients regardless of their occupation (Scorgie, 2013). Sex Worker Specific Clinic- Sex workers desire clinics that understand health issues and risks specific to sex workers (Scorgie, 2013). Access to Health Education - Sex workers want to be in the know. They want access to sexuality education including education on the access and use of condoms, benefits of using personal lubricants in sex work, and STI prevention (Scorgie, 2013).

__ **Advocacy for Sex Workers** __

The South African Ministry of Health, recently pushed a new initiative to treat sex workers that are HIV positive, and to provide PrEP to HIV negative sex workers. [|Watch this video to view this groundbreaking news! 'New Measures to Reduce Sex Workers HIV Infection Rate in South Africa']

Below are other advocacy organizations providing support to sex workers in Africa:
 * [|S. W. E. A. T. (Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce)]
 * [|African Sex Worker Alliance]

Recommended Readings
[|Sex Work and Sex Workers in South Africa: A Guide for Journalists and Writers]

__References__
Hiersche, K. (2014). Prostitution and the contagious diseases acts in 19th century British colonies. Student Theses, Papers and Projects (History). Paper 31. Retrieved from[]

Leggett, T. (1999). Poverty and sex work in Durban, South Africa. //Society in Transition, 30//(2), 157 - 167.

Leggett, T. (2001). Drugs, sex work, and HIV in three South African cities. Society in Transition, 32(1), 101 – 109. doi: 10.1080/21528586.2001.10419034

Mgbako, C. A., Bass, K. G., Bundra, E., Jamil, M., Keys, J., & Melkus, L. (2012). The case for decriminalization of sex work in South Africa. // Georgetown Journal of International Law, 44 //, 1423 - 1454. Retrieved from __ [] __

Scorgie, F., Nakato, D., Harper, E., Richter, M., Maseko, S., Nare, P., Smit, J., & Chersich, M. (2013). ’We are despised in the hospitals’: sex workers’ experiences of accessing health care in four African countries. //Culture, Health & Sexuality, 15//(4), 450 – 465. doi: 10.1080/13691058.2012.763187

Walker, R. & Oliveira, E. (2015). Contested spaces: Exploring the intersections of migration, sex work and trafficking in South Africa. // Graduate Journal of Social Science, 11 // (2), 129 – 153. Retrieved from __ [] __

Wojcicki, J. M. (2002). Commercial sex work or ukuphanda? Sex-for-money exchange in Soweto and Hammanskrall area, South Africa. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 26, 339 – 370. doi: 10.1023/A:1021291922026



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