Anastaciah (not her real name) is just sixteen. But she knows much more than people older than her know. At her age, by Kenyan standards, she should be in high school. Instead, she spends most of her daytime sleeping, only to wake up later in the evening for the “call of mastering the art of survival.” In other words, she is a commercial sex worker!
Her story reads like a tale, “…my parents were poor and could not afford to take me to school. I landed in this job because life was just becoming unbearable for me,” she says with a beaming face of innocence withered.
Although it is an illegal trade in most of Africa, prostitution has become uncontrollable owing to the fact that the society has either chosen to become so ignorant or hope that one day the vice will automatically disappear from the face of the earth. Unfortunately, this trade in human flesh has been so elusive earning itself the title, “world’s oldest profession.”
It is pathetic that children are in sex business. Teenagers, some barely out of childhood are lured into prostitution everyday with the hop for a better future. The sex business in Africa is attended by a great tirade of pitiful ostentation that there is a choice of turning a blind eye to the one trade that poses the greatest dangers to the future of the society.
Instead, sadly to a few understanding, the focus on the supply side while the demand side, which patronizes these children, is scot-free, thus making prostitution, one of the most lucrative businesses in the modern world.
This complacency probably explains why no one is quiet able to clean this mess away, for a problem right in front of our very own eyes. There is also a lot of hue and cue on who exactly is a prostitute; whether it’s males who patronize red light districts or the women who eke a living out of flesh trade.
Absolute poverty, like Anastaciah’s case, has played a significant role in getting more school going girls into the streets. This increases the number of illiterates and young mothers at an alarming rate. The girls in this business are taken advantage of by adults who make a beeline in rural areas to pick up girls and lure them in major cities of the world with a promise of a good life.
Another reason leading to girls in prostitution is lack of proper information on the rights. Many girls do not understand that they actually have a right of saying ‘NO’, without the feeling of regret and still earn respect. Quiet a number believe that a ‘NO’ is a selfish act and not a right! Our societies have taught girls to say ‘YES’ for acceptance and survival and a ‘NO’ for rudeness and arrogance.
The work of sensitizing the society in reclaiming the lives of these unfortunate girls has adapted the “I don’t care” attitude which only demoralize the enjoyment of girls reclaiming the lost past. There are many people and organizations who have appointed themselves as moral watchdogs but child prostitution is blowing out of proportion. One cannot clap with one hand, so goes the saying. And so, to end this negative attitude, a close collaborative network among different players including the victims and perpetrators, should be enhanced. The livelihood of the young souls should not be held at ransom and treating the issue contemptuously.
Prostitution, whether morally wrong or not, contribute to the spread of HIV and AIDS and unplanned pregnancies among others. Open discussions with such children should be enhanced with much confidentiality especially in cultures where sexual issues are ‘bedroom affair’. Hiding behind the Veil of Ignorance cannot help stem immorality if survival of the future generations is to be assured.
The key obstacle in child prostitution is removing stigma and discrimination which is associated with fear. Young girls in flesh trade should not be regarded as persona-non-grata.
Ignoring these girls is like the legendary ostrich that buries its head in the sand. We must deal with this flesh trade before it becomes the only solution to survival.
Something must be done without delay.
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