Prostitution in Uzbekistan

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Prostitution in Uzbekistan is illegal, [1] but prostitution has increased within the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union. [2] UNAIDS estimated there to be 22,000 sex workers in the country in 2019. [3] Many of the women have turned to prostitution in Uzbekistan because of poverty. [4] [5]

Contents

Law enforcement is inconsistent. [1] Some police officers will harass prostitutes and extort "protection money" from them. [1] [5] Sometimes prostitutes work with police as informants to avoid being arrested. [5] [6] [7]

HIV

HIV is a problem in the country, but the true situation is unknown as the Government has manipulated figure to downplay the problem. [8] Prostitutes are a high risk group, and has been blamed for a rise in HIV infections. [2] [9] In 2004, of the reported 11,000 cases of HIV in the country, 20% were sex workers. [2]

Clients are reluctant to use condoms. [5] [2] UNAIDS estimate 50% condom usage during paid-sex. [10] 95% of Uzbek migrants to Russia use prostitutes whilst in Russia according to a 2009 survey, sometimes this is unprotected sex. Some get infected with HIV and then pass this on to Uzbek prostitutes on their return. [8]

2016 estimates of HIV prevalence amongst sex workers is 2.9% [11]

Sex trafficking

Uzbekistan is a source and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Uzbek women and children are subjected to sex trafficking in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia, and also internally in brothels, clubs, and private residences. [12]

Article 135 of the criminal code prohibits both sex trafficking and forced labour, prescribing penalties of three to 12 years imprisonment. The government reported that 250 of the crimes investigated in 2016 were related to sexual exploitation. [12]

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Uzbekistan as a 'Tier 2 Watch List' country. [13]

See also

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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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Chad is illegal but common, especially in the urban centres and the south of the country. UNAIDS estimates there are 1,200 prostitutes in the country. Many are from Cameroon.

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 "The Legal Status of Prostitution by Country". ChartsBin. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Central Asia: HIV Infections Mount In Uzbekistan As Prostitution Rises (Part 2)". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty . Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  3. ↑ "Sex workers: Population size estimate - 2019". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  4. ↑ "Uzbekistan: Sex Trade on the Rise". Institute for War & Peace Reporting. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Uzbekistan: Police and Prostitutes in Unholy Alliance". Institute for War & Peace Reporting. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  6. ↑ Anjum, Zafar (5 November 2013). "Excerpts: Lusty Indian men for "boom boom" in Uzbekistan". Kitaab. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Travelling with the Indian sex tourist to Tashkent in search of 'full enjoyment'". 3 Quarks Daily. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Uzbekistan: HIV/AIDS Statistics". The BEARR Trust. 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "In-depth: World AIDS Day 2002". IRIN . Archived from the original on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 2011-09-16.
  10. ↑ "Condom use among sex workers - Percent, 2016". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  11. ↑ "HIV prevalence amongst sex workers". www.aidsinfoonline.org. UNAIDS. 2016. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  12. 1 2 "Uzbekistan 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2018.PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  13. ↑ "Uzbekistan 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
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