Zimbabwe sex workers demand end to police harassment

Sex workers in Zimbabwe are calling for an end to alleged harassment and abuse by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, warning that current enforcement practices are undermining their safety and basic rights.

Their concerns come despite a 2025 ruling by the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe, which significantly limited how police can enforce laws relating to soliciting. The court clarified that arrests cannot be based solely on a person's location or clothing, and that authorities must provide evidence of a specific client who was solicited.

However, sex workers say the situation on the ground has not improved.

Grace Tembo, a sex worker based in Epworth, said there remains a clear disconnect between the legal framework and enforcement practices.

"As sex workers, we are treated as though we have no voice and no rights, yet we are adults providing for our families," she said.
"The constant harassment and fear of arrest do not make our work safer. They push us into the shadows where we become more vulnerable. We are asking for dignity and protection like any other worker in Zimbabwe."

Advocacy organisation Springs of Life Zimbabwe said current policing methods - including arbitrary detentions and the use of alternative charges such as touting - violate fundamental rights and increase vulnerability among sex workers.

The group is advocating for a legal framework that recognises adult agency while maintaining strict protections against the exploitation of minors.

Mitchell Zengeya, the organisation's advocacy officer, said Zimbabwe needs to adopt a rights-based approach.

"Our position is rooted in the principle of adult agency. We work with adults who have the ability to make their own choices, yet they are met with harassment that does nothing to improve public safety," he said.
"The law should protect individuals, not punish their livelihoods."

Springs of Life Zimbabwe emphasised that it strongly opposes child exploitation and supports measures to protect minors, while also promoting safer working environments and accountability among business operators.

The organisation is also urging the media to shift away from sensational reporting and focus on structural and human rights issues affecting marginalised communities.

"By focusing on harassment instead of protection, the system is failing the very people it is meant to safeguard," Zengeya said.

Advocates have called for engagement between policymakers, law enforcement, and civil society to address the issue and develop a more inclusive, rights-based approach.

They argue that aligning enforcement practices with the court ruling is essential to ensuring that all individuals - regardless of occupation - are treated with dignity and protected under the law.