16 Sep 2019

 Kasane Tebelopele Voluntary Counselling and Testing centre team leader, Ms Naomi Kashweeka says sex workers in Chobe are both inhabitants and non-citizens aged 15-53 years.

Speaking during the First Lady Neo Masisi’s dialogue with Chobe district parents on September 13 at Kasane, the team leader said sex work involves people from Chobe and those from outside the district.

She noted that women under pressure of economy and even public officers were involved in sex work across the district.

The team leader said a study conducted in 2017 indicated that HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in sex workers was 72 per cent.

Ms Kashweeka lamented the statistics reflected an increase in the prevalence rate that was revealed by the 2012 study.

She regretted that some of the sex workers were unable to negotiate safe sex with their clients for fear of abuse.

She revealed that sex work did not only take place at Kazungula trucks spot but in the whole district in areas such as Parakarungu known for some spots where such sexual transaction occurs.

Ms Kashweeka said the study indicated that sex workers suffered many forms of abuse during their business dealings adding that 1.9 per-cent of them revealed that law enforcement officers asked for free sex from them, while 1 per-cent of them had the law enforcers confiscating their condoms and 3.9 per cent charged for loitering.

She said 73.6 per cent of them revealed that they reported cases of abuse but their cases were never heard. The team leader explained that through the Peer Ladder approach, Tebelopele identified some of the sex workers who can roped in to reach out to others in order to avail health services to them.

Ms Kashweeka noted that while the sex workers engaged in illegal activities they still had a right to health and as such Tebelopele availed Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP) to those who are HIV negative in order to help them remain negative.

A member of the Pandamatenga VDC, Ms Kekgotsofetse Mafa decried challenges facing her village, such as alcohol abuse and parents removing children from school to stay with them at the farms. She said there might be a problem of sex work at the trucks because they park overnight on transit to their destinations.

Ms Mafa appealed to the First lady and institutions such as Department of Gender Affairs to organise a similar dialogue with Pandamatenga residents and help in establishing behavioural change committees aimed at transforming the situation.

Pastor Manson Molopo attributed the problem to the type of music young people listen to, which promote sexual intimacy.

Mr Darkie Mlazie said there was need to sensitise children about their rights and that there should be a balance between rights and responsibilities. 

In response, Ms Masisi urged parents to raise children to be respectful.

She pleaded with them to live exemplary lives and to continuously monitor their children as mood changes could be a sign of abuse.   

Ms Masisi concurred that in some instances children misunderstood their rights adding that it was therefore important for platforms that could bring children and parents together in order to have a common understanding of rights.

The First Lady agreed with Pastor Molopo that it was not only the type of music but the dance as well that some dance moves were embarrassing.

She thanked Ms Mafa for raising an alarm about the challenges in Pandamatenga and promised that the relevant offices would attend to them.  ENDS