A sex workers’ lobby group, Katswe Sistahood, has raised alarm over the sexual exploitation thigh vendors are subjected to by some male police officers in Epworth and the streets and bars of Harare.
The rouge police officers demand free and unprotected sex thereby exposing the young women to HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted infections.
This was revealed by Talent Jumo, the Katswe Sistahood director during an event to mark World AIDS Day. Said Jumo:
Sex workers in Epworth said sometimes there are exploited by the police who say if you do not want me to arrest you, have sex with me.
So at the end of the day, there are also being sexually exploited. In many cases, the police officers do not use condoms as a basis to reduce your fine. So we are appealing to our policy makers to look at that.
There is a need for supportive laws and support to secure their (sex workers) safety and the well being of the key populations.
She added that male police officers usually round-up sex workers loitering in the streets and bars before demanding sex from them as fines.
As a result, many sex workers are forced to go underground and they will not come out for fear of being molested, Jumo said.