Prostitution in Botswana

Prostitution in Botswana is not illegal, but laws such as public disorder, vagrancy, loitering and state recognised religious provisions are used to prosecute prostitutes. Related activities such as soliciting and brothel keeping are illegal.{{cite web|title=Sex Work Law - Countries|url=http://spl.ids.ac.uk/sexworklaw/countries|website=Sexuality, Poverty and Law|access-date=5 January 2018|language=en}} Botswana has made proposals to make prostitution legal to prevent the spread of AIDS.{{cite news|title= Botswana mulls legalising prostitution to fight HIV |work=BBC|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11888992|access-date=12 April 2012}} However, there has been mass opposition to it by the Catholic Church.

Prostitution is widespread and takes place on the street, bars, hotels, brothels and the cabs of long-distance trucks.{{cite news|title= Push to legalise prostitution in Botswana |work=Times Live|url= http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2011/11/08/push-to-legalise-prostitution-in-botswana|access-date=12 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116035136/http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2011/11/08/push-to-legalise-prostitution-in-botswana |archive-date=16 November 2011 }}{{cite news|title= Legalising prostitution will benefit the rich |work=The Botswana Gazette|url= http://www.gazettebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11806%3Alegalising-prostitution-will-benefit-the-rich&catid=3%3Aletters&Itemid=2|access-date=12 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219222034/http://www.gazettebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11806%3Alegalising-prostitution-will-benefit-the-rich&catid=3%3Aletters&Itemid=2 |archive-date=19 December 2012}}

Law enforcement is weak, inconsistent and corrupt. Sex workers report routine violence and extortion by the police. Police sometimes demand sex or bribes from foreign prostitutes under threat of deportation.{{cite web|last1=Mosikare|first1=Lebogang|title=Surviving on the proceeds of prostitution|url=http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=58829&dir=2016/march/24|website=Mmegi Online|access-date=5 January 2018|date=24 March 2016}} Condoms are issued free from health centres, but are often confiscated from sex workers by the police.

The Gaborone West shopping complex and the streets surrounding it, are the main area of prostitution in the capital, Gaborone.{{cite web|last1=Mooketsi|first1=Lekopanye|title=The sex hub of Gaborone|url=http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=42169|website=The Monitor|access-date=5 January 2018|date=23 June 2014}} The Itekeng ward of Francistown (locally known as 'Doublers') is the main area of prostitution in the city. The majority of the prostitutes in both cities are from Zimbabwe.{{cite web|last1=Jakes|first1=Stephen|title=Zimbabwean women blamed for rampant prostitution in Botswana, as one round costs P20|url=https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-africa-byo-65382-article-zimbabwean+women+blamed+for+rampant+prostitution+in+botswana,+as+one+round+costs+p20.html|website=Bulawayo24 News|access-date=5 January 2018|date=1 April 2015}} In 2013, the Botswana's Ministry of Health estimated there were more than 1,500 Zimbabwean sex workers in the country, mainly in Gaborone, Francistown and Kasane,{{cite web|last1=Dube|first1=Mtokozisi|title=Sex workers of Gaborone go an extra mile|url=http://www.africareview.com/special-reports/Sex-workers-of-Gaborone/979182-2335948-hfmjw8/index.html|website=Africa Review|access-date=5 January 2018|language=en-UK|date=3 June 2014}} out of a total of about 4,000 prostitutes in those three areas.{{cite web |title=Sex workers: Population size estimate - Number, 2016 |url=http://www.aidsinfoonline.org/gam/stock/shared/dv/PivotData_2018_7_22_636678151733621264.htm |website=www.aidsinfoonline.org |publisher=UNAIDS |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404121947/http://www.aidsinfoonline.org/gam/stock/shared/dv/PivotData_2018_7_22_636678151733621264.htm |archive-date=4 April 2019 |url-status=dead }}

Although homosexuality is stigmatised in the country, male prostitution is on the increase in Botswana, especially in Gaborone, Palapye, Francistown, Maun, Kasane and Kazungula.{{cite web|last1=Mmeso|first1=Phillimon|title=Male prostitution growing in Botswana|url=http://www.thepatriot.co.bw/lifestyle/item/846-male-prostitution-growing-in-botswana.html|website=The Patriot on Sunday|access-date=5 January 2018|language=en-gb|date=29 March 2015}}

Legal situation

The following items of the Penal Code of Botswana criminalises, or is used to criminalise, prostitution and related activities:{{cite web|title=Penal Code|url=http://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/bw/bw012en.pdf|publisher=World Intellectual Property Organization|access-date=5 January 2018}}

90. Offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace
136. Insult to religion of any class
149. Procuration
150. Procuring defilement of person by threats or fraud or administering drugs
153. Detention of persons for immoral purposes
155. Person living on earnings of prostitution or persistently soliciting
156. Person aiding, etc. for gain, prostitution
157. Premises used for prostitution
158. Brothels
176. Common nuisance
179. Idle and disorderly persons
182. Rogues and vagabonds
184. Spreading infection

Section 57 of the 2009 Children's Act makes it a crime to induce, coerce or encourage a child to engage in prostitution, subject to two to five years imprisonment and/or a fine of 50,000 pula ($4,685).

The 2014 Anti-Human Trafficking Act criminalises all forms of trafficking, essentially tracking international law and making it a crime to use force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of exploitation.

Feminist activists including Resego Kgosidintsi have pushed for the legalization of sex work in Botswana as a method of decreasing secrecy and violence against women.{{Cite web |last=Charles |first=Thalefang |date=2020-02-10 |title=Legalise Sex Work - Kgosidintsi |url=https://www.mmegi.bw/news/legalise-sex-work-kgosidintsi/news |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=Mmegi Online |language=en}}

HIV

Botswana is experiencing one of the most severe HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world. The national HIV prevalence rate among adults ages 15 to 49 is 24.8 percent, which is the third highest in the world, behind Lesotho and Eswatini.{{cite web |title=HIV & Aids in Botswana |publisher=AVERT International HIV & Aids Charity |url=http://www.avert.org/aids-botswana.htm |access-date=15 January 2013}} Sex workers are a high risk group. In 2012 it was reported sex workers have an HIV prevalence of 61.9%.{{cite web |title=HIV prevalence amongst sex workers |url=http://www.aidsinfoonline.org/gam/stock/shared/vc/vcshare.html?id=d9c0ff12-f62c-44e7-8e2c-dbe736bbea30 |website=www.aidsinfoonline.org |publisher=UNAIDS |access-date=22 July 2018 |date=2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722130109/http://www.aidsinfoonline.org/gam/stock/shared/vc/vcshare.html?id=d9c0ff12-f62c-44e7-8e2c-dbe736bbea30 |archive-date=22 July 2018 |url-status=dead }}

Sex workers report that many clients are reluctant to use condoms. Some will pay more for unprotected sex, others use violence.

Sex trafficking

Botswana is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Residents of Botswana most vulnerable to trafficking are unemployed women, the rural poor, agricultural workers, and children. Botswana girls and women are possibly exploited in prostitution within the country, including in bars and by truck drivers along major highways. Some women may be subjected to trafficking internally or transported from neighbouring countries and subjected to sexual exploitation. Undocumented migrant Zimbabwean children might be vulnerable to trafficking in Botswana. There has been no comprehensive international or domestic study of trafficking trends within the country.{{cite web|title=Botswana 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report|url=https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/countries/2017/271151.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703181139/https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/countries/2017/271151.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 July 2017|website=U.S. Department of State|access-date=5 January 2018}}{{PD-notice}}

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Botswana as a Tier 2 country.

References

Sources

{{cite thesis |last=Nnabugwu-Otesanya |first=Bernadette |date=2005 |title=A Comparative Study of Prostitutes in Nigeria and Botswana |chapter=6 |publisher=University of South Africa |chapter-url=http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/1588/03chapter6toend.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y }}

Botswana

Category:Society of Botswana

Botswana