On the 4th of August, about 50 members of the Nigeria Association of Prostitutes trooped out to the Ogun state branch of the Nigerian Union of Journalists’ Press centre, Abeokuta. They said the murdered lady was one of their members who was killed by a ritualistic customer. They demanded that the police help find their colleague’s killer, asking for protection for their other members. They said one of their members is missing for a while now.
Few months ago, the Special Task Force on City Cleaning and Management in the Federal Capital Territory arrested no fewer than three thousand commercial sex workers in Abuja. In April, a non-governmental organization, Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, assisted by World Bank and the State Action Committee on HIV/Aids, launched an unusual project. They planned to empower 154 sex workers in Gombe state to discourage them from prostitution.
In the United Kingdom for example, prostitution is not a crime, in fact prostitutes are protected by the police and the law. Prostitutes are free to report suspected criminals to the police without fear. It has been argued that prostitution itself is not a crime. Many responsible men who openly condemn prostitution patronise them at nights. The law of demand and supply as made prostitution a part of our life in Nigeria. Shouldn't the federal government take another look at the plight of Nigerian prostitutes, stop the arrests and look towards their welfare? Most of them are driven to prostitution because of poverty and they are citizens of our great country.Instead of the usual holier than thou attaitude, Nigeria should put their hypocricy asside and look towards the pllight of the Nigerian prostitutes and how to protect them from harm. It is easier to fight human trafficking when prostitution is not a crime.
No comments:
Post a Comment