News / Africa
Zimbabwe sex workers flood Botswana
15 Jul 2014 at 17:47hrs | Views
BOTSWANA authorities have lamented the increasing influx of sex workers in that country's capital city Gaborone amid indications that police in the neighbouring country were engaged in daily blitz to flash out the sex workers with most of them said to be from Zimbabwe.
The neighbouring country's authorities have laid the blame squarely on Zimbabwe's stuttering economy.
Mmegi newspaper reported yesterday that Gaborone West shopping complex has been turned to a sex hub at night. The paper revealed that a drive at night is always met with skimpily dressed commercial sex workers in all shapes and sizes offering sex for money.
Most of the commercial sex workers who are trading there are from Zimbabwe, the paper said.
"Commercial sex is probably thriving more than ever at the Gaborone West shopping mall even during the wee hours of the night," the paper reported.
"The price for rounds of sex vary from as little as P20 for what is called "short time" and up to P150 for the "whole night. The charges can go up to P300 for a night depending on the negotiations between the parties involved."
Gaborone West Police Station Commander, Superintendent Agreement Mapeu reportedly told the media that they suspect that some women are into commercial sex work in the city malls but it was difficult to charge them as in most cases as there would be no evidence.
"When you see a couple, you can't just arrest and charge them for prostitution," Mapeu said.
He said they mount regular patrols for this purpose and most of the women that are arrested for loitering are Zimbabweans, though he added that even Batswana are involved.
The police chief said that usually the suspects would claim that they are just hanging around or waiting for a friend to pick them up.
The station commander said those who are arrested pay an admission of guilt fee.
In the case of Zimbabweans, he said they are deported after paying the fine, although the alarming number of the sex traders on the streets tells a different story.
The G-West Police chief said he was convinced that these sex workers always come back after being deported because his records show that they keep on arresting and deporting familiar faces.
"The police now intend taking repeat offenders to court since the situation is now getting out of hand," the paper reported.
The neighbouring country's authorities have laid the blame squarely on Zimbabwe's stuttering economy.
Mmegi newspaper reported yesterday that Gaborone West shopping complex has been turned to a sex hub at night. The paper revealed that a drive at night is always met with skimpily dressed commercial sex workers in all shapes and sizes offering sex for money.
Most of the commercial sex workers who are trading there are from Zimbabwe, the paper said.
"Commercial sex is probably thriving more than ever at the Gaborone West shopping mall even during the wee hours of the night," the paper reported.
"The price for rounds of sex vary from as little as P20 for what is called "short time" and up to P150 for the "whole night. The charges can go up to P300 for a night depending on the negotiations between the parties involved."
Gaborone West Police Station Commander, Superintendent Agreement Mapeu reportedly told the media that they suspect that some women are into commercial sex work in the city malls but it was difficult to charge them as in most cases as there would be no evidence.
"When you see a couple, you can't just arrest and charge them for prostitution," Mapeu said.
He said they mount regular patrols for this purpose and most of the women that are arrested for loitering are Zimbabweans, though he added that even Batswana are involved.
The police chief said that usually the suspects would claim that they are just hanging around or waiting for a friend to pick them up.
The station commander said those who are arrested pay an admission of guilt fee.
In the case of Zimbabweans, he said they are deported after paying the fine, although the alarming number of the sex traders on the streets tells a different story.
The G-West Police chief said he was convinced that these sex workers always come back after being deported because his records show that they keep on arresting and deporting familiar faces.
"The police now intend taking repeat offenders to court since the situation is now getting out of hand," the paper reported.
Source - radiodialogue
