Decriminalizing Sex Work Could Protect Sex Workers – And Everyone Else – From Gender-Based Violence

South Africa could see a reduction in gender-based violence in its region after drafting a bill that ends legal punishment for sex work in the country.

Last December, a lawsuit was filed to change the already existing law about sex in this country. But the changes aim to make it legal for adults to buy and sell sex. The public comment period on the bill ends today.

If this change is signed and implemented, then a big change will be seen in society. Let us tell you that the bill will also remove those people who have been accused of wrongdoing earlier or have been sent to jail.

In South Africa, Sex workers face a lot of abuse. The nationwide data shows that over 70% of female sex workers faced violence in the past year. Over half of them were raped by their client.

Experts say that making sex work legal will be the move that can change this ratio.

A peer review of 86 studies found that places where sex work is viewed as a punishable offense concentrated areas where sex workers faced more physical or sexual violence, and abuse. Sexually transmitted infections also spread there more easily. But in places where sex work is not a crime, there are fewer crime cases.

Rhode Island in the United States is an example that shows a decrease in cases of STIs such as gonorrhea in the area after sex work was legal in the state.

Not a humanistic behavior with Sex Workers, in South Africa

Sex workers in South Africa face fear from clients to police too! Because this work is illegal there, so they cannot rely on the police also.

Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa are the countries that were on the list to criminalize ‘sex work’, this creates fear in the mind of sex workers and they may never report any harassment or abuse to the police Huh. Even after they want it!

A report says that the police are also involved in harassing and raping sex workers. Female sex workers are the worst sufferers of this type of crime. A survey said that more than 3000 female sex workers were raped by policemen in South Africa.

So, can the police and sex workers become allies?

The results were similar to those found in states where sex work is legal. In New Zealand, sex work was decriminalized in 2003, with workers feeling safer on the streets. They can go to the police to complain about bad customers.

Legalizing sex work makes everyone safer from sexual violence.

In the US and Netherlands, sex work has resulted in reductions in sexual violence across cities and states. So with less fear, they can work without fear. By this their security can rights will be secured!