Prostitution in Togo

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Prostitution in Togo is legal [1] and commonplace. [2] Related activities such as solicitation, living off the earnings of prostitution or procuring are prohibited. [1] Punishment is up to 10 years imprisonment if minors or violence is involved. [1]

Contents

Sex trafficking, [3] child prostitution [4] and HIV [5] are problems in the country. However, the country has recently introduced some government codes, and has also started enforcing existing codes, such as a child code protecting the rights of children throughout the country, in order to help combat some of these problems. [6]

Overview

In 2014, it was estimated there were 10,284 sex workers in the country. [7] A 2011 survey found 51% worked in bars and 26% in brothels. [8] About half of the country's sex workers are in Lomé. [8] According to research published in 2015, between 2005 and 2015, prostitution in the country increased 180%, [2] and that three quarters of the prostitutes are Togolese, and Ghanaian women 15%. [2] It is not uncommon for prostitutes travel between Togo and neighbouring countries to find work. [9]

There are reports of brothels [4] and prostitutes working in various parts of Lomé, including Décor and Kodjoviakopé (near Aflao across the Ghanaian border). The nationalities of the prostitutes include Togolese as well as Nigerians, Liberians, Ghanaians and Ivorian nationals. Many sex workers in the city have regular taxi drivers who run them around and wait while the woman is with a client. Hotel managers may also offer special rates if the sex worker brings clients there regularly. [10]

In 2017 it was reported that a number of university students were turning to prostitution for financial reasons. [11]

History

German colonial period

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the country formed part of the protectorate of Togoland in the German Empire. Prostitution grew with German colonisation, initially along the coast (especially in Lomé) and then spreading inland as colonisation advanced into the interior. [12] In Lomé, Aného and Atakpamé, African prostitutes serving only European males were required to live in designated areas known as kasernierung. A brothel was built in Lomé in 1909 to replace the kasernierung area. Initially it housed 40 prostitutes. [12]

French colonial period

Following the defeat of Germany in World War I and subsequent French control of the country, prostitution continued to flourish. The large number of single, or married men away from home, colonists and troops created the demand for prostitution. [13] As in other French colonies, military brothels (Bordel militaire de campagne) were set up around where troops were stationed. [13]

Gender inequality

Experts convened by the United Nations found that typically "all the responsibility" of the problems that are faced in the sex industry are usually placed on women. In response to the issues noted by this committee, the government of Togo has declared that July 31 is Women's Day throughout the country. [14] Additionally, this may have been what encouraged them to enact on some of their new policies, such as actively enforcing laws that protect children against the sex trade. This committee noted that sex was a two-person act and that the men who are typically the demand market for sex workers need to be examined too and held accountable for their actions. [14]

Sexual health

HIV [5] and syphilis [15] are problems in the country. Sex workers and their clients are high risk groups, especially as condom use is inconsistent, [8] although there are 11 different prevention programmes distributing condoms throughout the country. [5]

HIV prevalence has dropped amongst sex workers: 29.5% in 2005, [8] 13.1% in 2011 [8] and 11.7% in 2015. [16] (National adult HIV prevalence was 2.1% in 2016.) [5] However, prevalence rates vary across the country; although the average amongst sex workers was 13.1% in 2011, it ranged from 19.5% in Lomé to 7.8% in the Savanes and Kara Regions. [8]

A study in 2008 noted that as many as 60% of long truck drivers in Togo that were having sexual relations with sex workers were not using a condom during sex. Additionally, around 50% of the truck drivers interviewed stated that they had not been tested for HIV, which is a concerning statistic considering the prevalence of sexually-transmitted diseases in Togo. [17]

A study in 2011 found 2.2% of sex workers were infected with syphilis, and 2.3% of clients. This also varied by region with those in Lomé having the highest rate of infection at 3.1%. [15]

Homosexual men, women, and couples do not receive the same access to the ability to be diagnosed and treated for a potential case of HIV/AIDS that heterosexual couples receive. [6]

Human rights concerns

In the 2000s concerns were raised internationally about child prostitution in Togo. [18] Togolese law explicitly prohibits the sexual exploitation of children and child prostitution, although it is not effectively enforced. [19] NGO organizations such as UNICEF have intervened to try to get child prostitutes off the streets. [20] There are also reports of women being trafficked for prostitution. [19]

Another issue in Togo is that the laws do not protect well against child trafficking, and these children are usually sold in to the sex industry. Togo does not enforce the law that prevents selling children into sex slavery, and there is also no statutory rape law in Togo. Since 2007 the Togolese government has done a better job of raising awareness for people in Togo about the issues of child sexual exploitation and child prostitution. They released a code in 2007 which protected the rights of children in certain areas of life, and this code led to the eventual release of hundreds of child sex workers throughout the country of Togo, after they improved their efforts to enforce this code. [6] Once these children were rounded up, they were properly taken care of, and tested for a variety of medical issues, mostly of mostly sexual health aspects.

Sex trafficking

Togo is a source, transit and, to a lesser extent, destination country for women, and children subjected to sex trafficking. The western border of the Plateau region, which provides easy access to major roads leading to Lome, and Accra, Ghana, was a primary source for trafficking victims during the reporting period. Most Togolese victims are children exploited within the country. Traffickers bring children from rural areas to Lome, where they are exploited in child sex trafficking. Girls from Ghana are exploited in sex trafficking in Togo. From September to April, many Togolese adults and children migrate in search of economic opportunities to Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, where many are subjected to sex trafficking. Togolese women have been fraudulently recruited for employment in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the United States, and Europe, where they are subjected to forced prostitution. [3]

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Togo as a "Tier 2 Watch List" country. [21]

In 2005, in a raid in the capital city Lome, over 200 people were arrested in an operation designed to reduce child prostitution. The government had previously announced on the radio its commitment to address the issue. The government's minister for child protection, Agneley Christine Mensah, said that the children who had been arrested would be taken into care and helped "to acquire new trades and skills so that they can be integrated into normal social and economic life". [22]

Related Research Articles

Prostitution in Myanmar is illegal, but widespread. Prostitution is a major social issue that particularly affects women and children. UNAIDS estimate there to be 66,000 prostitutes in the country.

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 Ecuador is legal and regulated, as long as the prostitute is over the age of 18, registered, and works from a licensed brothel. Prostitution is widespread throughout the country. Many brothels and prostitutes operate outside the regulatory system and the regulations have been less strictly enforced in recent years. 25,000 prostitutes were registered in the year 2000. In 2007 it was estimated that 70% of the prostitutes in the country were from Colombia. The country attracts Colombian prostitutes as the currency is the US$ rather than the unstable Colombian peso. UNAIDS estimate there to be 35,000 prostitutes in the country.

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 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 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 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 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.

<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 Namibia is legal and a highly prevalent common practice. Related activities such as solicitation, procuring and being involved in the running of a brothel are illegal. A World Bank study estimated there were about 11,000 prostitutes in Namibia.

Prostitution in Eritrea is legal and regulated. Official figures state there are around 2,000 prostitutes in the country, who are not allowed to operate near schools, hospitals, and churches. According to the 2009 Human Rights Reports, security forces occasionally follow women engaged in prostitution and arrest those who had spent the night with a foreigner. Some women enter prostitution due to poverty. Prostitutes are known locally as "shermuta" in Arabic, or "mnzerma" and "me'amn" in Tigrinya.

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 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 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 33,000 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 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 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 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. 1 2 3 "Togo: Code pénal du Togo (révisé en avril 2000)". Wipo. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "Prostitution au Togo : Progression de plus 180% en 10 ans. Bravo, Faure ! - 27avril.com". Actualité au Togo, Monde (in French). 21 August 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Togo 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2018.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  4. 1 2 "Togo child prostitute crackdown". BBC . Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Togo 2017 Country factsheet". UNAIDS . Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 "Togo". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
  7. ↑ "Sex workers: Population size estimate - Number, 2016". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pitché, Palokinam; Gbetoglo, Komi; Saka, Bayaki; Akakpo, Séfako; Landoh, Dadja Essoya; d'Alméida, Stéphane; Banla, Abiba Kere; Sodji, Dométo; Deku, Kodzo (21 June 2013). "HIV prevalence and behavioral studies in female sex workers in Togo: a decline in the prevalence between 2005 and 2011". The Pan African Medical Journal. 15: 62. doi:10.11604/pamj.2013.15.62.2457. PMC   3809967 . PMID   24198868.
  9. ↑ "Prostitutes leave Lome bases for Ghana". Modern Ghana. 5 February 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ampleur de la prostitution au Togo : Illustration de la débauche et de la misère cultivées par le régime Faure / RPT/UNIR". Actualité au Togo, Monde (in French). 15 September 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Togo : Quand des " Grotos " exploitent la misère et de la précarité des étudiantes" [Togo: When "Grotos" exploit the misery and precariousness of female students]. 27Avril (in French). 20 July 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  12. 1 2 Walther, Daniel J. (15 March 2015). Sex and Control: Venereal Disease, Colonial Physicians, and Indigenous Agency in German Colonialism, 1884-1914. Berghahn Books. ISBN   978-1782385912.
  13. 1 2 Ditmore, Melissa Hope (2006). Encyclopedia of prostitution and sex work. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN   978-0313329685.
  14. 1 2 "Women's Anti-Discrimination Committee Takes up Report of Togo; Experts Say Traditional Practices, Sexual Stereotypes Remain Challenges | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
  15. 1 2 Halatoko, Wemboo Afiwa; Landoh, Dadja Essoya; Saka, Bayaki; Akolly, Koffi; Layibo, Yao; Yaya, Issifou; Gbetoglo, Dodji; Banla, Abiba Kere; Pitché, Palokinam (21 February 2017). "Prevalence of syphilis among female sex workers and their clients in Togo in 2011". BMC Public Health. 17 (1): 219. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4134-x . PMC   5320666 . PMID   28222772.
  16. ↑ "HIV prevalence amongst sex workers". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. 2016. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  17. ↑ Yaya, Issifou; Landoh, Dadja Essoya; Saka, Bayaki; Vignikin, Kokou; Aboubakari, Abdoul-Samadou; N’dri, Kouamé Mathias; Gbetoglo, Kodjo Dodji; Edorh, Atavi-Mensah; Ahlegnan, Komla (2016-04-12). "Consistent Condom Use during Casual Sex among Long-Truck Drivers in Togo". PLOS ONE. 11 (4): e0153264. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1153264Y. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153264 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   4829217 . PMID   27071059.
  18. ↑ "TOGO: Child prostitution goes unchecked in Togo". IRIN Africa. Lomé. 23 April 2004. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  19. 1 2 "2010 Human Rights Report: Togo". US State Department . Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  20. ↑ Martin-Achard, Nicolas; Bonnaud, Hadrien (20 November 2008). "Togo - Nadia's story: from prostitution to rehabilitation". www.unicef.org. UNICEF. Retrieved 14 September 2015. In line with the objectives for 2012 and in partnership with the Government of Togo, UNICEF provides a minimum package of services to vulnerable children.
  21. ↑ "Togo 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  22. ↑ "Togo child prostitute crackdown". BBC News. 2 August 2005. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
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