Sex worker rights are human rights
Sex work remains a controversial undertaking for womxn in a patriarchal world. Womxn who choose to consensually sell sex and promiscuity to earn a living are widely looked down upon. They are brandished as sinners, promoting shamefulness, by daring to own their bodies and sexuality. And so, their interests as contributors to society are not valued and they are often cast aside without the protection that all basic citizens deserve.
Sex workers in South Africa face high levels of violence and exploitation due to the criminalization of prostitution. If womxn are threatened by clients or coerced into work they do not want to perform, their cases often go unreported. The criminalization of sex work is made under the assumption that no one would actively choose to be in this space. It presumes that these individuals are victims of circumstance, for e.g. poverty and lack of employment opportunities. The inherently patriarchal part of these restrictions is that it dictates to womxn what they can (and can’t) do with their bodies based on a set of moralistic beliefs and societal norms.
While law makers have previously thought these penalties to promote less sex work, all it has done is created shadier environments for womxn who do choose to pursue this line of work. Thus, human rights groups such as Amnesty International, and Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) have stepped in to provide support to sex workers and advocate their cause.
In 2017, the ANC announced their support for fully decriminalized sex work in South Africa. If this follows through to legislation, it will be the first step towards individuals gaining access to better health care, legal aid, safer working environments, and the recognition of their chosen trade. It gives these individuals their dignity back, a voice in society, and grants them agency over their own bodies and sexuality.
“To emancipate woman is to refuse to confine her to the relations she bears to man, nor deny them to her.” – Simone de Beauvoir
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