sexual health and human rights in the african region - The ICHRP
sexual health and human rights in the african region - The ICHRP
sexual health and human rights in the african region - The ICHRP
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achieve a contrary effect least serve this <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>and</strong> call, <strong>in</strong>stead, for regulation<br />
of sex work that promotes public <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> is least restrictive of <strong>the</strong> choice to<br />
become a sex worker.<br />
[4] Given <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>timate nature of sex, privacy is an issue <strong>in</strong> crim<strong>in</strong>aliz<strong>in</strong>g sex work.<br />
Collect<strong>in</strong>g evidence to support a sex work-related charges often <strong>in</strong>volves<br />
bedroom snoop<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>terfer<strong>in</strong>g with <strong>the</strong> privacy of <strong>the</strong> sex workers <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
clients. Laws that provide that <strong>the</strong> offence of offer<strong>in</strong>g sex for reward can only be<br />
committed by females implicate equality <strong>and</strong> non-discrim<strong>in</strong>ation. <strong>The</strong> same<br />
would apply where both females <strong>and</strong> males are implicated but <strong>in</strong> practice only<br />
one sex or gender (usually women) are prosecuted. A rule, policy or practice that<br />
is facially neutral but impacts disproportionately <strong>and</strong> adversely on a particular<br />
group that is o<strong>the</strong>rwise entitled to equal protection from discrim<strong>in</strong>ation, is an<br />
<strong>in</strong>stance of <strong>in</strong>direct discrim<strong>in</strong>ation. It is women who bear <strong>the</strong> brunt of crim<strong>in</strong>al<br />
prosecution for sex work.<br />
8.2 Domestic Regulation of Sex Work<br />
[5] <strong>The</strong> predom<strong>in</strong>ant pattern of regulat<strong>in</strong>g sex work among <strong>the</strong> surveyed countries<br />
is one of crim<strong>in</strong>aliz<strong>in</strong>g solicit<strong>in</strong>g for sex, liv<strong>in</strong>g off earn<strong>in</strong>gs from prosecution<br />
keep<strong>in</strong>g a bro<strong>the</strong>l, procur<strong>in</strong>g ano<strong>the</strong>r person for sex work <strong>and</strong> coerc<strong>in</strong>g ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
person <strong>in</strong>to sex. Often <strong>the</strong> laws purport not to crim<strong>in</strong>alize sex work per se, but<br />
activities surround<strong>in</strong>g it. But <strong>the</strong> non-crim<strong>in</strong>alization of <strong>the</strong> actual sex work <strong>in</strong><br />
many <strong>in</strong>stances tends to be only technical as sex work can hardly be conducted<br />
without <strong>in</strong>fr<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g at least one of <strong>the</strong> surround<strong>in</strong>g acts that is prohibited. S<strong>in</strong>ce all<br />
laws crim<strong>in</strong>alize liv<strong>in</strong>g off <strong>the</strong> earn<strong>in</strong>gs from sex work, it cannot be said that <strong>in</strong><br />
substance sex work itself is not crim<strong>in</strong>alized.<br />
[6] Zimbabwean law does not crim<strong>in</strong>alize sex work per se but activities around sex<br />
work. Section 81 of <strong>the</strong> Crim<strong>in</strong>al Law (Codification <strong>and</strong> Reform) Act of<br />
Zimbabwe renders it an offence to ‘publicly’ solicit someone for <strong>the</strong> purpose of<br />
‘prostitution’. 860 Solicit<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a public place is def<strong>in</strong>ed broadly to mean solicit<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> ‘any place to which <strong>the</strong> public, or any section of <strong>the</strong> public, have access’. 861 It<br />
also <strong>in</strong>cludes solicit<strong>in</strong>g though ‘publication <strong>in</strong> any pr<strong>in</strong>ted or electronic medium’<br />
that is <strong>in</strong>tended for <strong>the</strong> public. 862 A person who facilitates prostitution such as by<br />
keep<strong>in</strong>g a bro<strong>the</strong>l or dem<strong>and</strong>s from <strong>the</strong> ‘prostitute’ a reward <strong>in</strong> return for<br />
facilitat<strong>in</strong>g ‘prostitution’ commits an offence. 863 It is also an offence to procure<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r for <strong>the</strong> purpose of prostitution.<br />
860 Crim<strong>in</strong>al Law (Codification <strong>and</strong> Reform) Act of 2004 (Zimbabwe)<br />
861 Section 81(1)(a) ibid.<br />
862 Section 81(1)(b) ibid.<br />
863 Section 82 ibid.<br />
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