Prostitution in Senegal

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Prostitution in Senegal is legal and regulated. [1] Senegal has the distinction of being one of the few countries in Africa to legalize prostitution, and the only one to legally regulate it. [2] [3] The only condition that it is done discreetly. Prostitution was first legalised in 1966. [4] UNAIDS estimate that there are over 20,000 prostitutes in the country. [5] The average age for a sex worker in Senegal is 28 years old and female. [6]

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There are reports of police and security forces extorting money in return for overlooking infringements of prostitution regulations. [7] [8] Sex workers report that they are targeted by police for bribes or free sex whether they are registered or not. [1]

Senegal has gained a reputation as a sex tourism destination since the 1970s and since the early 2000s it has also gained a reputation for female sex tourism. [9] [3] [10] [11] [8]

It has been legal since 1969 to sell sex as long as prostitute has registered, is over 21 years old, has a regular medical check-up, and can present an up-to-date carnet sanitaire (medical report card) to the police upon request. [7] [12] [13] [14] Estimates of the number of prostitutes who are registered vary from 8 to 25%. [1]

Solicitation is prohibited by article 318 of the Penal Code, and 3rd party involvement, such as procuring and brothel keeping, is prohibited by articles 323 - 325. [15]

Illegal foreign prostitutes are subject to arrest, as are pimps and underage prostitutes. Underage prostitution typically makes use of adult pimps. The maximum sentence for procuring a minor for prostitution is five years' imprisonment and a fine of 4 million CFA francs (approximately US$7,600), but the law is not generally enforced effectively. [12]

Health concerns

The regulation of prostitution was enacted in 1969 to try to control the spread of STIs through regular medical check-ups and treatment. [12] Police monitor the sex workers to ensure they attend regular health checks. [16] Although the law requires two examinations per months, clinics cannot cope and this has been reduced to once a month. [16] Any sex worker who tests positive for an infection has their carnet sanitaire suspended until treated. [16]

In 1993 the Senegalese sex worker organisation Association for Women at risk from AIDS (AWA) was formed out of an AIDS prevention scheme at Dakar polytechnic. [12] AWA provide support and advice to sex workers, including at the clinics, and distribute condoms. [17]

UNAIDS reported 6.6% HIV prevalence [18] and 9.7% syphilis infections amongst sex workers in 2016. [19]

Sex trafficking

Senegal is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Senegalese boys and girls are also subjected to sex trafficking. Internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking. Reports indicate most Senegalese sex trafficking victims are exploited within Senegal, particularly in the southeastern gold-mining region of Kédougou. West African women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking in Senegal, including for child sex tourism for sex tourists from France, Belgium, and Germany, among other countries. [20]

There are reports that the entry of foreign prostitutes into the country being professionally organized. In 2016, judges convicted four sex traffickers under the pimping statute, acquitted one alleged sex trafficker, and convicted a fifth trafficker for an unknown type of exploitation. Sentences upon conviction ranged from two to three years imprisonment and fines. [20]

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Senegal as a "Tier 2 Watch List" country. [20]

Related Research Articles

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 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 Ethiopia is legal, and widespread. Procuring is illegal according to Article 634 of the Ethiopian Penal Code, as revised May 2005, however these laws are rarely enforced. Some feel it has contributed to the increased incidence of AIDS. UNAIDS estimate there are over 19,000 prostitutes in the major cities.

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

Prostitution in Africa 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 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.

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 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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sex Work Law - Countries". Sexuality, Poverty and Law. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  2. ↑ Look, Anne. "Senegal Vigilant Against HIV/AIDS Despite Success". Voanews.com. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Senegal draws tourists with sun, sea and sex". Pri.org. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  4. ↑ "Senegal: where "card-carrying" sex workers are legal". AIDS Anal Afr. 5 (3): 10–11. 1 June 1995. PMID   12289033.
  5. ↑ "Sex workers: Population size estimate - Number, 2016". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  6. ↑ Dept, International Monetary (1 January 2013). "Senegal: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 12 March 2017– via Google Books.
  7. 1 2 "2008 Human Rights Report: Senegal". US Department of State. 25 February 2009. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009.
  8. 1 2 "Trafficking in Persons Report" (PDF). state.gov. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. 2009. pp. 252–4. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  9. ↑ "Female Sex Tourism In Senegal Attracts Women Who Will Pay For Romance". Newsone.com. 29 April 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  10. ↑ Lau, Maya (8 September 2011). "Senegalese Sex Tourism". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  11. ↑ Tamale, Sylvia (23 June 2011). African Sexualities: A Reader. Fahamu/Pambazuka. ISBN   9780857490162 . Retrieved 12 March 2017– via Google Books.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Chi Mgbako; Laura A. Smith (2011). "Sex Work and Human Rights in Africa". Fordham International Law Journal. 33. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  13. ↑ "Sex work is legalised in Senegal". Nswp.org. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  14. ↑ "Senegal". State.gov. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Code Penal Senegal" (PDF). Equal Rights Trust. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 "Sex work is legalised in Senegal". Global Network of Sex Work Projects. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  17. ↑ Ebin, Victoria. "Sex Workers Promote AIDS Awareness in Senegal". Population Reference Bureau . Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  18. ↑ "HIV prevalence amongst sex workers". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. 2016. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  19. ↑ "Active syphilis among sex workers - Percent, 2016". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  20. 1 2 3 "Senegal 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2018.PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
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