Prostitution in Burkina Faso

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Prostitution in Burkina Faso is not specifically prohibited by the law, [1] but soliciting and pimping are illegal. [2] Burkinabe society only accepts sexual intercourse within marriage. [3] In 2009, Voice of America reported that the number of prostitutes in Burkina Faso had increased as a result of the country's poverty. [4] The increase in prostitution has given rise to fears of an increase in the number of Burkinabés infected with HIV and AIDS. UNAIDS estimate there to be 31,000 prostitutes in the country. [5]

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Burkina Faso has been referred to as "a theatre of child labour"[ by whom? ] as many children are trafficked into the country for forced prostitution as well as domestic work. In 1990 the Burkina Faso government ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and there are laws against the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The government has taken measures to ensure the safety of children against sexual abuse and exploitation, but it is still prevalent. [3] Children from poor families relied on prostitution to meet their daily needs and, at times, to help their needy parents. Trafficked children, primarily Nigerian nationals, were also subject to sexual abuse and forced prostitution. [2]

In the capital, Ouagadougou, the main area of prostitution is in the Dapoya district. [6]

Although homosexuality is illegal in the country, male prostitution takes place, especially in the tourist areas. [7]

Forms of prostitution

Sédentaires

Sédentaires ( French for 'sedentary') sex workers sit outside their houses on stools trying to attract clients. They tend to be older women and have lower rates than other sex workers. [8]

Trotteuses

Trotteuses ( French for 'trotters') are street prostitutes. They walk the streets in areas known for prostitution. Many of them are foreign, particularly from Ghana and Togo. [8]

Professionnelles de luxe

Professionnelles de luxe ( French for 'luxury professionals') are call girls who offer their services, by appointment, in hotels, motels and clients' residences. Their clients are usually businessmen, travellers or tourists. [8]

Bar waitresses

Waitresses that work in bars, nightclub and hotels sometimes offer sexual services as a sideline. They may use guest rooms, or the client's or waitress's home. [8]

Transhumantes

These sex workers work for a "Granny" or a "Tantie" who acts as their pimp. They travel from town to town and work in places such as construction sites [8] and gold mines. [9] They tend to be younger women between the ages of 16 and 25. [8]

Mbaraan

Many young women, especially high school students, turn to part-time prostitution to afford "luxury" goods such as fashionable European clothing. [8] [7]

Rural areas

Some women in small rural areas will stand by main roads trying to attract clients. This may happen by day or by night. [8]

HIV

Like other Sub-Saharan African countries the prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection is relatively high, although it is dropping. [10] The country has one of the highest prevalences in West Africa. [10] In 1999, the adult prevalence was 6.4%, [11] by 2016 it had dropped to 0.8%. [12]

Sex workers are a high risk group. Prevalence has fallen from 53% in 1998, [13] to 16.2% in 2016 [12]

Sex trafficking

Burkina Faso is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Burkinabe girls are exploited in sex trafficking. Burkinabe children are transported to Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Niger for sex trafficking. To a lesser extent, traffickers recruit women for ostensibly legitimate employment in Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and various European countries and subsequently subject them to forced prostitution. Burkina Faso is a transit country for traffickers transporting children from Mali to Côte d'Ivoire and women and girls from Côte d'Ivoire to Saudi Arabia. It is a destination for children subjected to trafficking from neighbouring countries, including Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. Women from other West African countries are fraudulently recruited for employment in Burkina Faso and subsequently subjected to forced prostitution. Nigerian girls are exploited in sex trafficking in Burkina Faso. Nepalese traffickers have subjected Tibetan women to sex trafficking in Burkina Faso. [14]

The 2008 anti-trafficking law criminalises all forms of trafficking and prescribes penalties of five to 10 years imprisonment, which are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with penalties prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. Law No. 11-2014/AN criminalises "child prostitution" and the sale of children—including the sale of children for crimes not considered trafficking in the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. [14]

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Burkina Faso as a Tier 2 country. [15]

Related Research Articles

Prostitution in Senegal is legal and regulated. Senegal has the distinction of being one of the few countries in Africa to legalize prostitution, and the only one to legally regulate it. The only condition that it is done discreetly. Prostitution was first legalised in 1966. UNAIDS estimate that there are over 20,000 prostitutes in the country. The average age for a sex worker in Senegal is 28 years old and female.

Prostitution in Paraguay is legal for persons over the age of 18, but related activities such as brothel keeping are prohibited. Prostitution is common in the country. Brothels are also common, even some rural villages have a small bar/brothel on the outskirts.

Prostitution in El Salvador is not prohibited by national law, but may be prohibited by local municipal ordinances. Municipal ordinances may also prohibit the purchase of sexual services. Related activities such as facilitating, promoting or giving incentives to a person to work as a prostitute (pimping) are illegal. The prostitution of children is also illegal. Brothel ownership, however, is legal. There are no specific laws against human trafficking, but any criminal offence that includes ‘commerce in women or children’ requires sentencing to be increased by 30%.

Prostitution in Zambia is legal and common. Related activities such as soliciting and procuring are prohibited. UNAIDS estimate there are 9,285 prostitutes in the capital, Lusaka. Many women turn to prostitution due to poverty. Sex workers report law enforcement is corrupt, inconsistent and often abusive.

Prostitution in Uganda is illegal according to Uganda's 1950 Penal Code, but is widespread despite this. Many turn to prostitution because of poverty and lack of other opportunities. A study of Kampala teachers in 2008 showed that teachers were turning to prostitution to increase their income. A sex worker can earn around USh.1.5 million/= (£439 sterling) per month, whereas this would be a yearly wage for a secondary school teacher. There are many Kenyan prostitutes in the country.

Prostitution in Cameroon is illegal but tolerated, especially in urban and tourist areas. In the capital, Yaoundé the main area of prostitution is the neighbourhood of Mini Ferme. UNAIDS estimate there are 112,000 sex workers in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in Africa</span>

The legal status of prostitution in Africa varies widely. It is frequently common in practice, partially driven by the widespread poverty in many sub-Saharan African countries, and is one of the drivers for the prevalence of AIDS in Africa. Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire permit the operations of brothels. In other countries, prostitution may be legal, but brothels are not allowed to operate. In some countries where prostitution is illegal, the law is rarely enforced.

Prostitution in Eswatini is illegal, the anti-prostitution laws dating back to 1889, when the country Eswatini was a protectorate of South Africa. Law enforcement is inconsistent, particularly near industrial sites and military bases. Police tend to turn a blind eye to prostitution in clubs. There are periodic clamp-downs by the police.

Human trafficking in the Ivory Coast referred to the practice of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation which used Côte d'Ivoire a source, transit, and destination country for women and children who were trafficked for these purposes.

Prostitution in Uzbekistan is illegal, but prostitution has increased within the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union. UNAIDS estimated there to be 22,000 sex workers in the country in 2019. Many of the women have turned to prostitution in Uzbekistan because of poverty.

Prostitution in Togo is legal and commonplace. Related activities such as solicitation, living off the earnings of prostitution or procuring are prohibited. Punishment is up to 10 years imprisonment if minors or violence is involved.

Prostitution in Niger is illegal but common in the cities, near mines and around military bases. UNAIDS estimate there are 46,630 sex workers in the country. Many have turned to prostitution because of poverty.

Prostitution in Botswana is not illegal, but laws such as public disorder, vagrancy, loitering and state recognised religious provisions are used to prosecute prostitutes. Related activities such as soliciting and brothel keeping are illegal. Botswana has made proposals to make prostitution legal to prevent the spread of AIDS. However, there has been mass opposition to it by the Catholic Church. Prostitution is widespread and takes place on the street, bars, hotels, brothels and the cabs of long-distance trucks.

Prostitution in Ivory Coast is legal, but associated activities, such as soliciting, pandering or running brothels, are illegal. Sex workers report law enforcement is sparse and corrupt. Police sometimes harass sex workers and demand bribes or sexual favours. Transgender prostitutes are often targeted by police and soldiers and subjected to violence. It was estimated in 2014 that there were 9,211 prostitutes in the country.

Prostitution in Malawi is legal and prevalent around hotels and bars in urban and tourist areas. Living off the proceeds of prostitution is illegal. In 2015, it was estimated there were 20,000 sex workers in the country.

Prostitution in Benin is legal but related activities such as brothel keeping and benefiting from the prostitution of others are illegal. UNAIDS estimates there to be about 15,000 prostitutes in the country. Most of these are migrants from neighbouring countries, mainly Nigeria, Togo and Ghana. Only 15% of the prostitutes are Beninese. Prostitution occurs on the streets, in bars, restaurants, hotels and brothels. With advent of the smartphone, many prostitutes use apps to make arrangements with clients.

Prostitution in Burundi is illegal but is commonplace and on the rise. Prostitution is prevalent in all areas of the country, and especially in the largest city, Bujumbura, and prior to the security crisis in 2015, the tourist areas around Lake Tanganyika. UNAIDS estimate there are 51,000 prostitutes in Burundi. Many women have turned to prostitution due to poverty. Previously law enforcement made little effort to curb prostitution. Political pressures, including from the mayor of Bujumbura, Freddy Mbonimpa, have led to crackdowns all over the country.

Prostitution in Mali is legal, but third party activities such as procuring are illegal. Prostitution is common in Malian cities. UNAIDS estimate there to be 35,900 prostitutes in the country. Prostitution is on the rise, many having turned to prostitution because of poverty.

Prostitution in Somalia is officially illegal. There is generally very little voluntary prostitution in the country according to the African Medical Research and Education Foundation (AMREF). UNAIDS estimated there were 10,957 sex workers in Somalia in 2016.

Prostitution in the Central African Republic is legal and commonplace. Procuring or profiting off the prostitution of others is illegal, as is coercing people into prostitution. Punishment is a fine and up to one year in prison, or 5 years if the case involves a minor.

References

  1. ↑ "The Legal Status of Prostitution by Country". ChartsBin. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 "2009 Human Rights Report: Burkina Faso". State.gov. 11 March 2010. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2011.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  3. 1 2 "Burkina Faso". Child-hood.com. 31 August 1990. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  4. ↑ Ricci Shryock (1 November 2009). "Burkina Faso Residents Lament Rise in Prostitution". Voice of America.
  5. ↑ "Sex workers: Population size estimate - Number, 2016". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "Exposé en Anglais sur la prostitution au Burkina Faso by Kader Rabo - mon exposé". Mon Expose. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  7. 1 2 Prods, Filaos. "Le Burkina Faso en ligne". Planete-Burkina (in French). Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sedgo, P. "Prostitution et SIDA". Catholique (in French). Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Fighting HIV in Burkina Faso". DW.COM. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Burkina Faso - HIV/AIDS - Issue overview". UNICEF . Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Burkina Faso - HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate - Historical Data Graphs per Year". Index Mundi. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  12. 1 2 "Burkina Faso 2017 Country factsheet". UNAIDS. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  13. ↑ Lankoandé, S.; Meda, N.; Sangaré, L.; Compaoré, I. P.; Catraye, J.; Sanou, P. T.; van Dyck, E.; Cartoux, M.; Sankara, O.; Curtis, V.; Soudré, R. B. (1998). "Prevalence and risk of HIV infection among female sex workers in Burkina Faso". International Journal of STD & AIDS. 9 (3): 146–150. doi:10.1258/0956462981921909. PMID   9530899. S2CID   8862719.
  14. 1 2 "Burkina Faso 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  15. ↑ "Burkina Faso 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
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