News / National
Professional sex workers invade hotels
24 Nov 2013 at 03:07hrs | Views
A rare breed of 'professional sex workers' has been born in Zimbabwe.
Traditionally, sex workers confined themselves to brothels, drinking heavily whilst seducing male
imbibers who would have drifted into a drunken stupor.
These prostitutes survived on showing loyalty to the brothel owner, who received a fair share of proceeds whenever the 'girls' extended their services.
The brothels offered accommodation, but in some cases, male customers preferred a 'take away'.
With time, the authorities clamped down on the illegal drinking grounds that had become a menace to communities and viewed as promoting various social ills.
In Zimbabwe, prostitution is illegal and a prostitute is described in the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act 2004 Part 111 Sexual Crimes and Crimes Against Morality as "a male or female person who for money or reward - (a) allows other persons to have anal or extra-marital sexual intercourse or engage in other sexual conduct with him or her; or (b) solicits other persons to have anal or extra-marital sexual intercourse or engage in other sexual conduct with him or her."
People engaging in prostitution are liable to a fine or jail terms that range from six months to 10 years depending on the gravity of the offence.
However, after the clampdown on brothels the sex workers came up with a different plan.
They took to the streets and popular bars where they dressed in the skimpiest attire that left nothing to the imagination.
As in the past, risk remained the daily bread, and services were rendered to anyone able to pay.
The word dignity has never been part of their vocabulary and as 'business went down'; the women even migrated to the dingiest places, in search of a ready market.
However, like brothels, this type of prostitution has lost its lustre. Does it mean the world's "oldest profession" has all but died? Not at all. If anything, prostitutes have found new and innovative ways to "move with the times" and continue making money.
Recently, a new breed of 'fine-tuned' females, who solicit sexual relations in exchange for monetary payment or other valuables, but do so discreetly, has emerged.
The latest breed of sex workers frequent upmarket places and are regulars in five-star hotels and other trendy restaurants.
They are well groomed, appear to be from the high class in society, are choosy, well mannered and always abreast with current issues as well as the latest tastes of what constitutes a "good life".
A bartender at one of the top hotels in Harare said this new breed of sex workers was increasing each day.
"Hotel guests used to be the main patrons of our bar, but of late outsiders, especially women, are now the biggest customers. Some of the women appear as if they are booked in the hotel, but it would be a cover to attract men," said the bartender who refused to be identified, citing company policy.
"These women bring business, are well behaved and above all they can buy their own drinks without bothering anyone, but we all know it's a tactic to get to men."
Investigations by The Sunday Mail-In-Depth have established that, unlike their predecessors, the latest sex workers rarely approach men, can settle their own bills, dress fashionably, pretend to be in love and are shrewd in 'striking gold'.
They don decent but expensive designer clothes and matching stilettos, use top perfume brands, latest cellphones, and have nicely done hair and well manicured nails. They occasionally toy with car keys, exuding the demeanour of high class and taste.
"Prostitution is no longer about taking the risk of sleeping around for a few dollars, but it is now about showing men how independent a woman can be and that is where the catch is," said one regular, Michelle (not her real name), at a five-star hotel in Harare after several drinks, courtesy of The Sunday-Mail In-Depth, made her to open up.
After gaining trust and on condition her real name or photographs would not be published, Michelle confided that she led 'a decent life' from her profession.
"Men no longer want the obvious prostitute. For that reason I make sure I set a high standard by presenting myself as such.
"At times I end up in a relationship with a client and as long as rentals to my flat, sons' schools fees and personal upkeep are catered for, I remain stuck to that man."
However, observers say in light of the HIV and Aids scourge, this latest breed of sex workers is dangerous as it makes men comfortable and increases the chances of an unprotected sex relationship.
According to the National Aids Council Zimbabwe, about 1 242 768 people were living with HIV and Aids at the end of last year with about 58 000 new infections and an estimated 45 000 annual HIV-related deaths.
But it appears the figures do not scare some people, especially the sex workers who continue devising new operating methods each day.
A local ethnographer, Mr Nelson Muparamoto, said indoor prostitution has managed to thrive unnoticed.
"(There has not been) attention on the population of indoor sex workers in brothels, massage parlours, bars, casinos, hotels, and private premises. Sex workers are economic entrepreneurs who are continually strategising in order to maximise profits," he said.
"The modern world is characterised by competition for materiality. Thus some are into sex work as a moonlighting activity to augment the salaries they get from other jobs that they do during the day.
"Hence, it is becoming common to see educated women and professionals from other sectors participating in sex work on part-time basis to attain upward social mobility."
Mr Muparamoto added that the indoor sex workers' decorum was highly stage-managed, in that the women masquerade as going about their normal business, a description that applies to Michelle.
The lady, who drives an ex-Japanese Toyota RAV 4 and doubles as a hairstylist at one of the hair salons in the central business district said she was a single mother, but admitted that some of her colleagues were either in a relationship or married.
Most of the sex workers are regular visitors to countries such as Dubai, Singapore, China, India, Kenya and Malaysia where they buy designer clothing and furniture for resale to an upmarket clientele.
ZRP Harare provincial spokesperson Inspector Tedious Chibanda said the police were yet to get reports of 'organised prostitutes' who frequent hotels.
"It's the hotel authorities' baby," he said. "The police can only come in when they have strong evidence that the hotel authorities will be acting outside the dictates of their licences."
However, Mr Muparamoto said: "The upmarket places are seemingly exempted from police clampdowns which have consistently been carried in downtown areas, streets and low class brothels."
Investigations established that the sex workers, with a penchant for the good life, have managed to entice their 'lovers' into opening businesses for them to sell clothes, electrical gadgets and even run hair salons, taxis and eateries.
Some stay in leafy suburbs and drive expensive cars, courtesy of their 'lovers'.
But for those who end up in a relationship with their clients, how do they manage to contain multiple concurrent relationships?
"It is not easy. You need to play your cards right and at times it may mean shifting to another drinking place. But these people we target have their ego and are usually regulars to a particular place. At times luck runs out, one gets caught and loses everything, but there is always another chance," said Michelle
Prostitution has stood the test of time and researchers on human behaviour say in the wake of HIV and Aids as well as economic challenges, most men now shy away from being seen in the company of sex workers. As a result, sociologists argue, men would want a decently dressed woman to avoid the community detecting the nature of the relationship.
Prostitution is a multi-billion dollar industry with estimated annual revenue of $200 billion.
According to Havocscope Black Market, "China has the biggest sex industry and every year, $73 billion is spent on prostitutes. Spain is second to China where about $26,5 billion is spent on prostitutes annually while in Japan $24 billion goes to the sex industry and $18 billion in Germany."
However, prostitution is illegal in most nations with only two countries in Africa, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, permitting exchange of money for sex, but associated activities such as soliciting, pandering or running brothels, are illegal. But in the presence of inhibiting laws, sex workers have evolved over the years to evade the policing authorities and continue coming up with 'innovative ways to keep the sex industry alive'.
Traditionally, sex workers confined themselves to brothels, drinking heavily whilst seducing male
imbibers who would have drifted into a drunken stupor.
These prostitutes survived on showing loyalty to the brothel owner, who received a fair share of proceeds whenever the 'girls' extended their services.
The brothels offered accommodation, but in some cases, male customers preferred a 'take away'.
With time, the authorities clamped down on the illegal drinking grounds that had become a menace to communities and viewed as promoting various social ills.
In Zimbabwe, prostitution is illegal and a prostitute is described in the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act 2004 Part 111 Sexual Crimes and Crimes Against Morality as "a male or female person who for money or reward - (a) allows other persons to have anal or extra-marital sexual intercourse or engage in other sexual conduct with him or her; or (b) solicits other persons to have anal or extra-marital sexual intercourse or engage in other sexual conduct with him or her."
People engaging in prostitution are liable to a fine or jail terms that range from six months to 10 years depending on the gravity of the offence.
However, after the clampdown on brothels the sex workers came up with a different plan.
They took to the streets and popular bars where they dressed in the skimpiest attire that left nothing to the imagination.
As in the past, risk remained the daily bread, and services were rendered to anyone able to pay.
The word dignity has never been part of their vocabulary and as 'business went down'; the women even migrated to the dingiest places, in search of a ready market.
However, like brothels, this type of prostitution has lost its lustre. Does it mean the world's "oldest profession" has all but died? Not at all. If anything, prostitutes have found new and innovative ways to "move with the times" and continue making money.
Recently, a new breed of 'fine-tuned' females, who solicit sexual relations in exchange for monetary payment or other valuables, but do so discreetly, has emerged.
The latest breed of sex workers frequent upmarket places and are regulars in five-star hotels and other trendy restaurants.
They are well groomed, appear to be from the high class in society, are choosy, well mannered and always abreast with current issues as well as the latest tastes of what constitutes a "good life".
A bartender at one of the top hotels in Harare said this new breed of sex workers was increasing each day.
"Hotel guests used to be the main patrons of our bar, but of late outsiders, especially women, are now the biggest customers. Some of the women appear as if they are booked in the hotel, but it would be a cover to attract men," said the bartender who refused to be identified, citing company policy.
"These women bring business, are well behaved and above all they can buy their own drinks without bothering anyone, but we all know it's a tactic to get to men."
Investigations by The Sunday Mail-In-Depth have established that, unlike their predecessors, the latest sex workers rarely approach men, can settle their own bills, dress fashionably, pretend to be in love and are shrewd in 'striking gold'.
They don decent but expensive designer clothes and matching stilettos, use top perfume brands, latest cellphones, and have nicely done hair and well manicured nails. They occasionally toy with car keys, exuding the demeanour of high class and taste.
"Prostitution is no longer about taking the risk of sleeping around for a few dollars, but it is now about showing men how independent a woman can be and that is where the catch is," said one regular, Michelle (not her real name), at a five-star hotel in Harare after several drinks, courtesy of The Sunday-Mail In-Depth, made her to open up.
After gaining trust and on condition her real name or photographs would not be published, Michelle confided that she led 'a decent life' from her profession.
"Men no longer want the obvious prostitute. For that reason I make sure I set a high standard by presenting myself as such.
"At times I end up in a relationship with a client and as long as rentals to my flat, sons' schools fees and personal upkeep are catered for, I remain stuck to that man."
However, observers say in light of the HIV and Aids scourge, this latest breed of sex workers is dangerous as it makes men comfortable and increases the chances of an unprotected sex relationship.
According to the National Aids Council Zimbabwe, about 1 242 768 people were living with HIV and Aids at the end of last year with about 58 000 new infections and an estimated 45 000 annual HIV-related deaths.
But it appears the figures do not scare some people, especially the sex workers who continue devising new operating methods each day.
A local ethnographer, Mr Nelson Muparamoto, said indoor prostitution has managed to thrive unnoticed.
"(There has not been) attention on the population of indoor sex workers in brothels, massage parlours, bars, casinos, hotels, and private premises. Sex workers are economic entrepreneurs who are continually strategising in order to maximise profits," he said.
"The modern world is characterised by competition for materiality. Thus some are into sex work as a moonlighting activity to augment the salaries they get from other jobs that they do during the day.
"Hence, it is becoming common to see educated women and professionals from other sectors participating in sex work on part-time basis to attain upward social mobility."
Mr Muparamoto added that the indoor sex workers' decorum was highly stage-managed, in that the women masquerade as going about their normal business, a description that applies to Michelle.
The lady, who drives an ex-Japanese Toyota RAV 4 and doubles as a hairstylist at one of the hair salons in the central business district said she was a single mother, but admitted that some of her colleagues were either in a relationship or married.
Most of the sex workers are regular visitors to countries such as Dubai, Singapore, China, India, Kenya and Malaysia where they buy designer clothing and furniture for resale to an upmarket clientele.
ZRP Harare provincial spokesperson Inspector Tedious Chibanda said the police were yet to get reports of 'organised prostitutes' who frequent hotels.
"It's the hotel authorities' baby," he said. "The police can only come in when they have strong evidence that the hotel authorities will be acting outside the dictates of their licences."
However, Mr Muparamoto said: "The upmarket places are seemingly exempted from police clampdowns which have consistently been carried in downtown areas, streets and low class brothels."
Investigations established that the sex workers, with a penchant for the good life, have managed to entice their 'lovers' into opening businesses for them to sell clothes, electrical gadgets and even run hair salons, taxis and eateries.
Some stay in leafy suburbs and drive expensive cars, courtesy of their 'lovers'.
But for those who end up in a relationship with their clients, how do they manage to contain multiple concurrent relationships?
"It is not easy. You need to play your cards right and at times it may mean shifting to another drinking place. But these people we target have their ego and are usually regulars to a particular place. At times luck runs out, one gets caught and loses everything, but there is always another chance," said Michelle
Prostitution has stood the test of time and researchers on human behaviour say in the wake of HIV and Aids as well as economic challenges, most men now shy away from being seen in the company of sex workers. As a result, sociologists argue, men would want a decently dressed woman to avoid the community detecting the nature of the relationship.
Prostitution is a multi-billion dollar industry with estimated annual revenue of $200 billion.
According to Havocscope Black Market, "China has the biggest sex industry and every year, $73 billion is spent on prostitutes. Spain is second to China where about $26,5 billion is spent on prostitutes annually while in Japan $24 billion goes to the sex industry and $18 billion in Germany."
However, prostitution is illegal in most nations with only two countries in Africa, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, permitting exchange of money for sex, but associated activities such as soliciting, pandering or running brothels, are illegal. But in the presence of inhibiting laws, sex workers have evolved over the years to evade the policing authorities and continue coming up with 'innovative ways to keep the sex industry alive'.
Source - SundayMail
