National prostitution discourse needed

It is hard to believe that a young girl or boy aspires to become a sex worker, yet the reality is that many of our citizens take this long and dark road. This is simply because they are pressed to do so by circumstances that only the poorest among us truly understand. Of course there are those among us who would raise the moral argument around selling sex for money and refer to the impact these activities may have on the moral fibre of society. However, the truth is that people cheat, whether they choose to do this with a sex worker or not. The country has seen a growing determination among sex workers to have their trade decriminalised. They highlight the abuse they allegedly suffer at the hands of the authorities. They claim that they are denied their basic human rights because they are seen to be part of a dirty and disgusting profession. They ask how sex work is any different from a man or a woman who dates someone simply for material gain and to finance their lifestyles. Globally, campaigns around the rights of sex workers have been eloquently argued on the basis that affording them protection under law assists in battling the spread of HIV infections. A regulated sex worker industry also allows sex workers to ply their trade in clean and hygienic spaces, out of the public eye. Amsterdam's Red Light District comes to mind, where those who choose to use the services of sex workers are the only ones exposed to their wares. If you choose not to indulge, you can steer clear of the district. At this stage in Namibia, sex workers can be found openly trading themselves in view of the public, especially in darkly lit places at night. Decriminalising sex work, campaigners claim, also allows the police to focus on more serious crimes, rather than tracking sex work. However, some say this would be a too simplistic approach and that the deeper issues of poverty, desperation and joblessness need to be aired so that a holistic approach can be taken to the sex industry. What becomes clear is that Namibia needs to approach the subject of sex work from different perspectives. At this stage we have chosen to maintain a legalistic approach, accosting and locking up those involved in the industry. Given that it is our mothers and daughters selling themselves on our streets, more is required.