I do not see it that way. Although prostitution is the oldest profession in the world, it should not be legalized in Uganda because of its implications. The most shocking thing about this revelation is that prostitution is still illegal in Uganda. Article 136 of the Criminal Code states: “(1) It is an offence for anyone who knowingly lives wholly or partly off the proceeds of prostitution and anyone who, in any place, incites or pushes for immoral purposes commits an offence punishable by imprisonment for seven years.” Women typically shared both good and bad experiences about their clients and these served as a learning experience or opportunity for women to focus on non-violent clients. Almost every roadside sex workplace had a so-called peer leader, usually an older, experienced sex worker or former sex worker, who called women “senga” (a Luganda term for a paternal aunt who traditionally gives her nieces advice on hygiene and sexual matters). In this case, the term “senga” was used figuratively to imply an older woman who held a leadership position and often monitored women`s behavior. This “senga”, named by sex workers, tried to enforce some semblance of order in the group by disciplining wandering sex workers or settling conflicts that came to their attention. To work in a particular field, sex workers first had to report to that leader. They were then asked to pay a one-time fee of 30,000 to 50,000 shillings ($12 to $20) to be allowed to stand in a particular location. It was an informal arrangement that was respected by women when they entered sex work. The peer leader, in turn, would introduce the new sex worker to others under her responsibility in this field.

In rare cases, this has been accompanied by some level of support in terms of funding in an emergency situation, advice or protection from police arrest, annoying clients, or conflict resolution with other sex workers. Because sex work is illegal, street women worry about police harassment. In some places, women reported weekly contributions of 500 to 1,000 Ugandan shillings [less than $1], which helped control the authorities. These women would then be protected as long as they were in the given area. Most of the women had a mobile phone, which they also used to keep in touch with customers and others concerned for their safety. Prostitution in Uganda is illegal under the Ugandan Penal Code of 1950,[2] but it remains widespread. [3] [4] Many turn to prostitution because of poverty and lack of other opportunities. [2] A 2008 study of teachers in Kampala showed that teachers turned to prostitution to increase their income.

A sex worker can earn around £1.5 million/= (£439) a month, whereas that would be an annual salary for a secondary school teacher. [5] There are many Kenyan prostitutes in the country. [4] The structural factors of HIV infection, such as gender inequality, insecurity and poverty, pose a challenge for interventions with sex workers. These structural factors not only complicate negotiations over safe sex for many women, but also keep many women in sex work because they need money to pay children`s school fees or simply feed themselves and their children. Income opportunities can offer valuable alternatives to a family`s day-to-day needs, but when significant expenses are incurred, especially if they are unexpected, selling sexual services may still be the most available way to raise funds. Structural change often requires changes in society, but small steps to improve women`s working conditions can and will be taken. There are well-documented examples of successful approaches to address both the organizational and legal status of sex workers elsewhere, including Sonagachi, India [27]. The informal organizations that some groups of women in our study population have established to support each other and manage their relationships with police and other agencies can provide structures on which to build initiatives that support women`s rights and promote their safety. Sex trafficking[6], HIV[7] and child prostitution[8] are problems in the country. All qualitative interviews were conducted in a private room near the clinic, but not in this building. This was done deliberately to promote freedom of expression and to emphasize the separation of the qualitative component of the cohort study. Four interviewers participated in data collection, each recruiting and interviewing a specific group of participants throughout the study period to strengthen the relationship.

By mutual agreement with the participants, no tape recorder was used. The interviewers were all experienced members of the social science team with experience with qualitative interviews in a variety of contexts and received extensive training to take short notes during interviews in order to arrive at a complete report immediately after each interview. Routine reporting was used to validate the data. The interviews lasted between an hour and an hour and a half. The interviews were conducted in the local Lugano language, which almost all participants were familiar with. Only one woman was interviewed in English because she was not very comfortable with Luganda. In order to address the violence and risks women face in their work, particularly among street-involved sex workers, it may be necessary to address the legal issues surrounding sex work [1, 11]. However, such initiatives may not have the full desired effect. Some studies have shown that decriminalizing sex work may not lead to improved living conditions for all women engaged in sex work, as women work in many different situations that are not easy to regulate [7].

In addition, as we have shown in this article, the mobility of women in our study population poses challenges for approaches adapted to the needs of stationary populations. Research on sex workers focuses on individual risk behaviours rather than the underlying organizational factors that shape these risks [6]. The structure of the local sex work industry can give an indication of the specific vulnerabilities faced by the different people involved. While the legal status of sex work may, in some situations, provide support against some of the challenges faced by women involved in trafficking [7], sex work remains illegal in many sub-Saharan African countries [2, 8]. The location of sex work can, among other things, influence the degree of control sex workers have over their work environment. It is reported that in many situations, brothel-based sex workers have more protection and bargaining power than sex workers on the street [2, 9]. However, this is not always the case, as for example in Vietnam, where brothels have been reported to be associated with a higher risk than other places [10]. Street work is the most common and overt form of sex work worldwide and the most dangerous in many regions, as women face violence from clients and police, social stigma and discrimination due to their easy visibility and face large numbers of clients [7, 8, 11]. Uganda is a source, transit and destination country for women and children trafficked for sexual purposes. Ugandan girls and boys are exploited in prostitution. Recruiters target girls and women between the ages of 13 and 24 for domestic sex trafficking, especially near sports tournaments and road construction projects.

An international organization reported that most victims of human trafficking are Ugandans. [6] Young women remained the most vulnerable to cross-border trafficking and tended to seek employment as domestic workers in the Middle East; Sometimes Ugandan women are fraudulently recruited for employment and then exploited in forced prostitution. Ugandan migrant workers are victims of sex trafficking in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Turkey and Algeria. Despite the government`s total ban on traveling abroad for domestic work in 2016, some licensed and unlicensed agencies circumvented this ban by sending Ugandans via Kenya and Tanzania. Human traffickers, who appear increasingly organized, are often relatives or friends of victims, posing as wealthy women or labor brokers promising vulnerable Ugandans well-paying jobs abroad or in Ugandan metropolises. Some traffickers threatened to harm victims` families or confiscated travel documents. [6] During the reporting period, Ugandan victims were identified in neighboring countries such as Kenya, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Children from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and South Sudan are exploited for prostitution in Uganda. South Sudanese children living in refugee camps in northern Uganda are vulnerable to human trafficking. [6] The sale of sexual services is illegal in Uganda under a 1950 penal code. Despite this, the Ugandan government has recruited sex worker “Bad Black” – whose real name is Shanitah Namuyimbwa – to “push” women not to sleep with foreign truck drivers for fear that the coronavirus could spread.

On September 16, I watched “Girls in Risky Business,” a documentary on NBS TV about underage girls who engage in prostitution in Kampala brothels. Zablotska IB, Gray RH, Serwadda D, Nalugoda F, Kigozi G, Sewankambo N, Lutalo T, Mangen FW, Wawer M: Alcohol consumption before sex and HIV acquisition: a longitudinal study in Rakai Uganda. AIDS. 2006, 20 (8): 1191-1196. 10.1097/01.AIDS.0000226960.25589.72. In the UK, charities say sex workers are now at higher risk of assault and less likely to report violence for fear of arrest. In Kenya and South Africa, health workers are concerned about an increase in HIV transmission as sex workers do not have access to walk-in clinics and other services.