JOIN US'African sex workers face violence, harassment from police'
Acrosss the globe, the word sex workers would obviously raise eyebrows of people with a strong feeling of distaste. But few countries have organisations which are dedicated for their welfare and really help the community to prove themselves.
Six sex workers, three from Zimbabve and three from Kenya are in city to go through a process of ‘community to community’ capacity building.
Male sex worker B John Mathenge from Kenya in an interaction here in Ashodaya Academy said, sex workers do pay tax directly or indirectly but still the stigma continues.
Sharing his experience in India and comparing the situation of the community in their country, he said, unlike in India the community is not united. There is no one to create awareness among them as the society concentrates discriminating them.
Regarding his observations in the country, he said, the community to community engagement in Mysore is something which has to be imbibed in Kenya.
He said he is proud to meet with sex workers here who are running their own academy.
He said, “We as sex workers are both the problem and the solution. So there should be nothing for us without us”.
Phelister Wambolabdalla (Kenya), a female sex worker and also an associate of Kenya Sex Workers’ Alliance (KESWA), revealing bare truth of the problems faced by them in their country said, sex workers in Africa continue to face severe violence and harassment from police and the general public. “We sex workers are also human beings and need to be treated with equal respect.”
Walida Aaithira Wanjohn (Kenya), a facilitator from KESWA raised concerns on the supply of condoms in Kenya. She said, supply of condoms could dry up soon in their country with lack of funds.
Female sex worker of Zimbabwe, Sihlesibanda said that no clinics are sex-worker-friendly.
Lauding the works and projects of Ashodaya, she said, all of them wanted to implement the same in their country.
Own organisation
Male sex worker from Zimbabwe, Gregory Brighton Kata reiterated the fact that their mission of visiting Mysore has been accomplished and he wishes to open his own organization for male sex works in his country.
Male sex worker and director of Ashodaya Academy Akram Pasha said, the academy promotes unique programmes based on the community to community concept with many projects.
All of them seemed to have a clear message of sex-worker-friendly programmes and processes to be controlled by the same community and not by external agencies.
The community re-emphasised the need for society to accept sex work as work since they support their families and children through their earnings as anyone else in other profession does. This would go a long way in mitigating the stigma and discrimination they face.
They unanimously said that their problems had to reach the society, which continues to discriminate them.
Sihle Sibanda and Pahence Nkonmo of Zimbabwe, coordinator of the academy Rathna, advisor Sundar, Sumithra, associate member of Ashodaya Sriram and others were present.
HIV +ve in Kenya
* Female: 4.5 per cent.
* Male: 16.8 percent.
* Drug users: 2.2 percent.