Prostitution in Madagascar

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Prostitution in Madagascar is legal, [1] and common, especially in tourist areas. [2] [3] Related activities such as soliciting, procuring, living off the earnings of prostitution or keeping a brothel are prohibited. [1] Public Order laws are also used against prostitutes. [1] There are recent laws against "consorting with female prostitutes". [4] [5] People caught paying for sex with children under 14 can face criminal penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment. [6] This is strictly enforced against foreign tourists. [4] As well as in the tourist areas, prostitution also occurs around the mining towns of the interior such as Ilakaka [7] and Andilamena. [8] It was estimated that there were 167,443 sex workers in the country in 2014. [9]

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Sex workers report law enforcement is arbitrary and abusive. Extortion by the police is also reported. [1]

Prostitution first came to the island after colonisation by the French in the late 1800s. [10] In modern times it is increasing due to an increase in tourism and the poverty suffered by most people in the county. [11] [12] [13]

Madagascar is a destination for sex tourism, including child sex tourism. [3] [6] Human trafficking and child prostitution are problems in the country. [6] [14]

Sex tourism

Madagascar has become a recognised destination for both adult and child sex tourism, particularly for French and Italian males. [14] The main areas in the country for sex tourism are Antananarivo (the capital), Nosy Be, Île Sainte-Marie, Mahajanga, Diego-Suarez [15] and Toamasina. [7]

Nosy Be

In the 1990s the government awarded a tuna fishing contract to the Japanese. [16] The trawlers docked at Nosy Be, an island off the north coast of Madagascar. Prostitution grew up around this fishing industry, with prostitutes migrating to the island from all over the country. [16] When tourism to Madagascar started, Nosy Be became a popular destination because of the established sex trade. [16] Subsequently, most of the "all-inclusive" resorts have been built on the island. This is the premier location for Europeans, predominantly French, [17] some of whom come to the country for sex tourism. [15] It has been estimated that 70% of the island's female population work in prostitution, half of them underage. [15]

Child prostitution

In addition to being a destination for child sex tourism, Malagasy men also use underage prostitutes. A study by UNICEF found that three quarters of the Malagasy men who use prostitutes go with underage girls. [17]

Child sex tourism has increased in the country since Mozambique tightened is laws in this area. [15]

Many families encourage their daughters to engage with white tourists for financial reasons. In some cases twelve and thirteen year olds are given French and Italian lessons in preparation for their work as prostitutes. [17] Some girls in rural areas are sold as concubines, by their parents, to foreigners or wealthy cattle owners for a period of several years. [7]

Police corruption means there is little action against the users of underage girls. [17]

Several NGOs, such as the Collective for the Rights of the Child and Family (CDEF) and UNICEF, are working to improve the situation.

Sexual health

Although Madagascar has a low HIV prevalence for a Sub-Saharan African country (0.2% in 2016), [18] it has of the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the world. [19]

Sex worker organisations, such as Fikambanaina Vehivavy Miavotena Toamasina (FIVEMITO) and Femmes Interessee au Development de Antalaha (FIDA) (which is partially funded by the World Bank), have reached agreements with local governments to issue sex workers over the age of 18 identity cards. These identity cards allow access to free healthcare. [20]

In 2016, the HIV prevalence amongst sex workers was 5.5%. [21]

Sex trafficking

Madagascar is a source and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Malagasy children, mostly from rural and coastal regions, and from impoverished families in urban areas, are exploited in child sex trafficking. Most child sex trafficking occurs with the involvement and encouragement of family members; however, tourist operators, hotels, taxi drivers, massage centres, and local adults in prostitution also facilitate this crime. Some children are fraudulently recruited for work in Antananarivo as waitresses and masseuses before being exploited in child sex trafficking. Reports suggest child sexual exploitation is most prevalent in tourist destinations and surrounding formal and informal mining sites. [14]

NGOs previously reported government officials’ complicity in obtaining falsified national identity cards facilitates the child sex trafficking in Madagascar. Previous reports indicated child sex trafficking of boys was becoming more prevalent. Child domestic labour continues to be a problem and informal employment agencies recruit child domestic workers who Malagasy men exploit as child sex trafficking victims, while most child sex tourists are French and Italian nationals, and to a lesser extent, other Westerners and Comorians. [14]

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Madagascar as a "Tier 2 Watch List" country. [14]

Related Research Articles

Prostitution in Peru is legal and regulated. UNAIDS estimate there to be 67,000 prostitutes in the country.

Prostitution in Guatemala is legal but procuring is prohibited. There is an offence of “aggravated procuring” where a minor is involved. Keeping a brothel is not prohibited.

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 Nicaragua is legal, but promoting prostitution and procuring are prohibited. The minimum age for prostitutes is 18 years old. It was estimated in 2015 that there were around 15,000 prostitutes in the country.

Prostitution in Kenya is widespread. The legal situation is complex. Although prostitution is not criminalised by National law, municipal by-laws may prohibit it.. It is illegal to profit from the prostitution of others, and to aid, abet, compel or incite prostitution.. UNAIDS estimate there to be 133,675 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 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.

Prostitution in Burkina Faso is not specifically prohibited by the law, but soliciting and pimping are illegal. Burkinabe society only accepts sexual intercourse within marriage. In 2009, Voice of America reported that the number of prostitutes in Burkina Faso had increased as a result of the country's poverty. 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.

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 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 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 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.

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.

Prostitution in Cape Verde is legal and commonplace. There are no prostitution laws on the islands except for those concerning trafficking and child prostitution. UNAIDS estimate there are 1,400 prostitutes in Cape Verde, and many were from Ghana and Senegal before being expelled by the police. Some turn to prostitution through poverty.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Sex Work Law - Countries". Sexuality, Poverty and Law. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "The Legal Status of Prostitution by Country". ChartsBin. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 "2008 Human Rights Report: Madagascar". US State Department . Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  4. 1 2 "Madagascar travel advice". UK Government. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "General Information for Madagascar". Findaport. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 "Madagascar acts to curb sex tourism". BBC . Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  7. 1 2 3 Ross, Aaron (31 January 2014). "Madagascar, where child prostitution is common, cheap and 'trivial'". Public Radio International. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "What happens after a mining rush? Photographs from Madagascar". Mongabay Environmental News. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Sex workers: Population size estimate - Number, 2016". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  10. ↑ Braddix, Charles (8 February 2016). "Paradise Lost: A beautiful island with dirty secrets". BR Now. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Madagascar: Girls selling sex to pay for school". BBC . Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  12. ↑ "Madagascar's ticking HIV time bomb". BBC . Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  13. ↑ "Madagascar, where child prostitution is common, cheap and 'trivial'" . Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Madagascar 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". US Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2018.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Sexual tourism Madagascar". Madagascar Real Estate. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 "Fighting a rising tide of sex tourism". IRIN. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "The Horror of Sex Tourism in Madagascar". HuffPost UK. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  18. ↑ "Madagascar 2016 Country factsheet". UNAIDS . Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  19. ↑ "Health Profile: Madagascar" Archived 2008-08-16 at the Wayback Machine . USAID (February 2005). PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  20. ↑ "Neglecting sexuality in sexual and reproductive health: A case of sex workers in Madagascar". Kumud Rana. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  21. ↑ "HIV prevalence amongst sex workers". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. 2016. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
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