genderberg.com -

"Legalised prostitution: what sex workers say"

The South African Daily News
September 17, 2007

By Troy Martens and Vivian Attwood

Durban sex workers have urged the authorities not to legalise prostitution in the lead up to the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament in South Africa.

Making their feelings known to The Daily News this week, a group of women earning their living through sex work claimed that National Police commissioner Jackie Selebi "has got it all wrong".

The sex workers were responding to Selebi's idea of legalising the sex trade during the world soccer event, a suggestion that has angered many.

'You will still be raped, abused and violated'

"Those advocating legalisation think prostitutes' lives will improve," said Sindy a former Durban prostitute.

"It won't happen, because of the nature of the work. You will still be raped, abused and violated. The emphasis should be on encouraging women away from this profession by giving them better options."

She said that legalisation would not mean protection from the law, or improved working conditions.

This week the Daily News will run a series of articles looking at issues surrounding sex in the city, dispelling many of the current perceptions about sex work, hearing the real life experiences of the city's prostitutes, some frank, some shocking, some poignant, others hopeful.

The South African Law Reform Commission says it is looking at the experiences of other countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Australia who have all legalised prostitution, as well as countries who have criminalised sex work.

'Policing is expensive and a waste of manpower'
Some sex workers believe that legalisation is the way to go.

Vicki, a sex worker at an upper-class massage parlour, said: "I think it should be legalised or at least decriminalised. It is never going to go away; policing is expensive and a waste of manpower.

"No little girl sits on her mother's knee, dreaming of her future, and says, 'When I grow up I want to be a prostitute'. We all have big hopes and dreams."

Debbie Toughey is a 46-year-old former prostitute who was once the madam at a highly successful Durban brothel.

Having spent most of her adult life in degradation, fear and isolation as a worker in the sex industry, she is passionately anti legalisation.

"There's been a lot of discussion regarding the subject. 'Let's dignify the trade', the pro lobby says. 'Let's call them sex workers, not prostitutes'.

"The bottom line is, it's not a job like any other," she said. "It is an occupation that dehumanises you and robs you of your womanhood."

Debbie asserted that low self esteem, coupled with lack of a supportive family structure and financial need, are key reasons why many women become prostitutes.

"If you had to fill in a CV to apply for a job as a prostitute, the one vital criterion would be poor self-worth," she said.

Why did an obviously intelligent, attractive woman stay in prostitution for so long?

"I only have a Standard 9, and work wasn't easy to find. I started out trying to earn enough to look after my baby, and then I got sucked in by a prominent businessman who promised to look after us.

"He had links with organised crime, although his public front was squeaky clean. He made me the front for a brothel, and gradually and systematically broke me down until I had no will of my own, and was absolutely terrified for my own and my son's life.

I suffered daily torture, both physical and emotional, to the point where I had no future, and didn't dare dream of one.

"My entire being was focused on staying alive that day."

Because her pimp controlled members of the police force, Debbie was too terrified to seek help from the law.

"I knew they couldn't protect me, and he had eyes everywhere," she said.

"I started to think that suicide would be my only way out."

Debbie was finally released from the cycle of torment when her abuser was shot and killed. However, she was so traumatised by her experiences that she temporarily lost her memory and the power of speech.

These symptoms are common in severe cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, with which she was diagnosed.

It has taken her 11 years to claw her way back from the darkness. Today, Debbie is dedicated to improving the lot of women who are still in prostitution, and raising awareness of the frequently abusive and exploitative dynamics at play in the sex industry.

She is a spokesperson for Doctors for Life International, and has been featured on television and radio.

"Don't think for a moment that my story is unique," she said. It is happening all over the world, every day. The public is entitled to all the facts about prostitution before a decision of this magnitude [legalisation] is made."

Doctors for Life International is a non-profit organisation championing the sanctity of life. They operate 'Life Place', a care centre for prostitutes and abused women in Durban."

www.dailynews.co.za