Prostitution in Guyana

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Prostitution in Guyana is illegal but widespread. [1] Prostitution law is antiquated and dates from the colonial era. [2] Law enforcement is inconsistent and sex workers report violence and abuse by the police. [1] [3] Many turn to prostitution for economic reasons and the lack of other job opportunities. [4] Prostitution continues to receive greater public attention due to the high incidence of HIV/AIDS among prostitutes. [5] Prostitution in the country is separated into three types: "uptown", servicing affluent clients, [6] "downtown", servicing the working classes, [6] and mining sites. [7] UNAIDS estimate there to be 6,000 prostitutes in the country. [8]

Contents

Prostitutes often rent rooms in hotels and attract clients in the hotel's bar or outside the hotel. [9] Dancers in lap dancing and striptease establishments sometimes offer sexual services as a sideline. [9]

In the capital, Georgetown, prostitutes sometimes visit moored freighters, with the captain's permission, to service the crews. [9]

Prostitution is not specifically prohibited by Guyanese law, but "common nuisance" in section 356 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act of 1893 is interpreted to include prostitution. [1] Section 357 makes it illegal to keep or manage a "common bawdy house" (brothel) [1]

Title 26 - Nuisances, Bawdy Houses

356. Everyone who commits any common nuisance which endangers the lives, safety or health of the public, or which injures the person of any individual, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and liable to imprisonment for two years.
357. Everyone who -
(a) keeps or manages a common bawdy house; or
(b) keeps or manages a common ill-governed or disorderly house;
shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and liable to imprisonment for two years.
— Criminal Law (Offences) Act (No. 18 of 1893) [10]

The Combating Trafficking of Persons Act of 2005 prohibits all forms of trafficking and prescribes sufficiently stringent penalties ranging from three years to life imprisonment. [7]

Calls for decriminalization

In 2014, the sex workers organisation "Guyana Sex Worker Coalition" and several NGOs called for prostitution to be legalised and regularization of sex work. The aims was to end discrimination and abuse towards sex workers and to give them full access to health services. The NGOs included Youth Challenge Guyana and the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination. [3]

Mining

There is a gold mining industry in the interior of Guyana. Women, often from Maroon and Amerindian villages, come to the area to service the gold miner's sexual needs. [6] The women work in "kiamoos!, temporary structures of wood, zinc or tarpaulin, that consist of a series of rooms, just big enough for a bed, where the women live and entertain clients. [9] Women from the coast also travel to the mines, usually for a two or three month period. [9] When there is a "shout" (significant find), the number of prostitutes around that mine increases. [9]

There are also bauxite and diamond mines in the country which also attract prostitutes. [9] However, the downturn in the bauxite industry in the early 2000s, and resulting in less employment and spending power of the men, led to a large decline in the number if sex workers around these mines. [9]

There is evidence of women being trafficked to work as prostitutes at the mines. [9]

HIV

HIV is a problem in the country, however due to the efforts of the Guyanese government and international organisations, the situation is being controlled. The epidemic peaked in around 2006, [11] and in 2016 it was estimated that 1.6% of the adult population were affected. [12] Amongst other measures, including education about HIV, a condoms distribution programme has been initiated. [13] Sex workers are a high risk group. [14] [15] The incidence of HIV amongst sex workers has fallen over the years: 47% in 1997, [15] 27% in 2004, [15] 16% in 2010 [16] and 6.1% in 2016. [17]

Sex trafficking

Guyana is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking. Women and children from Guyana, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Suriname, and Venezuela are subjected to sex trafficking in mining communities in the interior and urban areas. While sex trafficking occurs in interior mining communities, limited government presence in the country's interior renders the full extent of trafficking unknown. Children are particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking. Guyanese nationals are subjected to sex trafficking in Jamaica, Suriname, and other Caribbean countries. Some police officers are complicit in trafficking crimes, and corruption impedes anti-trafficking efforts. [7]

In 2017, the United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons upgraded Guyana from a Tier 2 country to Tier 1 country following the Guyanese governments increased efforts to combat human trafficking. [7] [18]

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 Georgia is illegal but widespread, particularly in the capital, Tbilisi. Many NGO's attribute this to the harsh economic conditions according to the US State Department. Prostitution occurs on the streets, in bars, nightclubs, hotels and brothels. UNAIDS estimate there are 6,525 prostitutes in Georgia.

Prostitution in Cuba is not officially illegal; however, there is legislation against pimps, sexual exploitation of minors, and pornography. Sex tourism has existed in the country, both before and after the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Many Cubans do not consider the practice immoral. In Cuban slang, female prostitutes are called Jineteras, and gay male prostitutes are called Jineteros or Pingueros. The terms literally mean "jockey" or "rider", and colloquially "sexual jockey", and connotes sexual control during intercourse. The terms also have the broader meaning of "hustler", and are related to jineterismo, a range of illegal or semi-legal economic activities related to tourism in Cuba. Stereotypically a jinetera is represented as a working-class Afro-Cuban woman. Black and mixed-race prostitutes are generally preferred by foreign tourists seeking to buy sex on the island. UNAIDS estimate there are 89,000 prostitutes in the country.

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 Suriname is illegal but widespread and the laws are rarely enforced. Human trafficking and Child prostitution are problems in the country. Prostitutes are known locally as "motyo". UNAIDS estimate there to be 2,228 prostitutes in the country.

Prostitution in Tanzania is illegal but widespread. UNAIDS estimate there to be 155,450 prostitutes in the country. Many women and young girls are forced into prostitution due to poverty, lack of job opportunities, culture, and the disintegration of the family unit. Many university students have to turn to prostitution for economic reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in Africa</span> Overview of the legality and practice of prostitution in Africa

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.

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 Mongolia is illegal but widespread in some areas. The Global Fund for Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria estimated there were about 19,000 sex workers in the country in 2006. Many women in Mongolia turn to prostitution through poverty.

Prostitution in Tajikistan is legal, but related activities such as soliciting, procuring and brothel keeping are prohibited. Prostitution has increased within the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union. UNAIDS estimate there are 14,100 female sex workers in Tajikistan. Government official figures for 2015 were 1,777 prostitutes and 194 brothels. Prostitution occurs on the streets and in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and saunas, and HIV prevalence is 3.5% amongst sex workers.

Prostitution in Madagascar is legal, and common, especially in tourist areas. Related activities such as soliciting, procuring, living off the earnings of prostitution or keeping a brothel are prohibited. Public Order laws are also used against prostitutes. There are recent laws against "consorting with female prostitutes". People caught paying for sex with children under 14 can face criminal penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment. This is strictly enforced against foreign tourists. As well as in the tourist areas, prostitution also occurs around the mining towns of the interior such as Ilakaka and Andilamena. It was estimated that there were 167,443 sex workers in the country in 2014.

Prostitution in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is legal but related activities are prohibited. The Congolese penal code punishes pimping, running a bawdy house or brothel, the exploitation of debauchery or prostitution, as well as forced prostitution. Activities that incite minors or promote the prostitution of others have been criminalised. The government does little to enforce the law. During the colonial era and the years that followed independence, the Ministry of Health issued calling cards identifying professional sex workers and provided them with medical health checks. However, this system was abandoned in the 1980s. Public order laws are sometimes used against sex workers. Street prostitutes report harassment, violence and extortion from the police. UNAIDS estimated there are 2.9 million sex workers in the country.

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 Angola is illegal and prevalent since the 1990s. Prostitution increased further at the end of the civil war in 2001. Prohibition is not consistently enforced. Many women engage in prostitution due to poverty. It was estimated in 2013 that there were about 33,00 sex workers in the country. Many Namibian women enter the country illegally, often via the border municipality of Curoca, and travel to towns such as Ondjiva, Lubango and Luanda to work as prostitutes.

Prostitution in Guinea-Bissau is common and there are no prostitution laws. In 2016 it was estimated there were 3,138 prostitutes in the country. Often it is associated with other crimes: Many pimps are also reported to be drug dealers. Poverty leads many women to be tempted into prostitution and cocaine addiction.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in the Americas</span> Overview of the legality and practice of prostitution in the Americas

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Prostitution in Antigua and Barbuda is legal and common. Related activities such as brothel keeping and solicitation are prohibited. UNAIDS estimate there to be 755 prostitutes on the islands, the majority are migrants from other Caribbean countries. They tend to move around the Caribbean, never staying in one territory for long. In 2011, prostitution was on the rise due to poor economic conditions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Sexuality, Poverty and Law Programme". Institute of Development Studies. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  2. ↑ Kempadoo, Kamala (1999). Sun, sex, and gold : tourism and sex work in the Caribbean. Lanham [u.a.]: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   978-0847695164.
  3. 1 2 Campbell, Kurt (30 January 2014). "Calls mounted for legalization of Prostitution, regularization of sex work". iNews Guyana. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  4. ↑ Jemmott, Shauna (30 September 2016). "Lack of jobs forces students into prostitution, illegal activities – UNICEF report". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  5. ↑ 2008 Human Rights Report: Guyana. State.gov (25 February 2009). Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
  6. 1 2 3 Joseph, Andrew (8 November 2016). "The Horniest Countries in the Caribbean". Pellau Media. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Guyana 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  8. ↑ "Sex workers: Population size estimate - Number, 2016". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kempadoo, Kamala (2004). Sexing the Caribbean : gender, race, and sexual labor. New York [u.a.]: Routledge. ISBN   978-0415935036.
  10. ↑ "Laws of Guyana Chapter 8.01 Criminal Law (Offences) Act" (PDF). Procon. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  11. ↑ Pearson, Jeanna (30 May 2016). "HIV cases rising again in Guyana". Kaieteur News. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  12. ↑ "The World Factbook - HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate". CIA. Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  13. ↑ Marks, Neil (22 March 2009). "All those condoms? Who is using them?". Kaieteur News. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  14. ↑ "Sex workers still severely affected by HIV/AIDS". Kaieteur News. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 "Guyana: Estimated number of people needing antiretroviral therapy (0-49 years), 2005" (PDF). World Health Organization . Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  16. ↑ "Sex workers and loggers in Guyana challenge HIV together". UNAIDS. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  17. ↑ "HIV prevalence amongst sex workers". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. 2016. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  18. ↑ Khatoon, Bibi (27 June 2017). "Guyana upgraded to Tier 1 in the Trafficking in Persons 2017 Report". Newsroom. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
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