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Cathrine Murombedzi HIV Walk
THEY tell harrowing stories they endure in the struggle for survival. Sex workers, who by the nature of their job, operate under cover are caught between a rock and a hard place. The financial rewards of the oldest profession are not that lucrative as one has to literally work 365 days a year without a break.

“It is hard being a sex worker as the financial gains are not lucrative. I have to work 24/7 as long as there is a client. Usually, the price ranges from the time of the month and it can sink to as low as US$5.

“On good days the price can go up to US$50 for a session, but that range is limited so the going is tough my sister,” said Lydia who says she is 30, but looks 40 maybe due the her jaded look stemming from the hazards of her trade.

Lydia said she was not a prostitute as many people called her, but a commercial sex worker.
“I wonder why people call me a prostitute, I am not one I am a commercial sex worker. I have no husband or partner at home so I am not cheating on anyone to be called a prostitute, sex work is my job,” affirmed Lydia.

“I provide sexual services in return for cash, I work on a cash basis only so I regard myself as working class,” she said.
Lydia said she has been working in the sex industry since she was 20 as had to fend for her baby.

“I have been working in the s**t business since I was 20. I did not do well at O-Level and when I turned 20 and got pregnant, my parents had given up on me and I was thrown out.

“With nowhere to go, I lived with an aunt who provided for me until I gave birth. I have been lucky in that I have been able to leave my child who is now in Grade 5 with the same aunt.

“My aunt still believes that I work as a domestic worker, but I have since stopped working as a domestic worker since I was poorly paid, worked long hours and the man of the house even got sexual favours from me for no payment. That is when I decided that I could go commercial than give myself for free,” said Lydia.

Lydia frequents high end hotels in the capital and her client base cuts across the divide.
“Since I live alone and my child stays with my aunt, I have no problem with where to take my clients. If a client shows interest in me I negotiate the fee since I also provide a free venue as compared to others.

“The high end client can pay US$50, but there is also the middle and low-end client so my price is not cast in stone, I even have regulars who now pay US$10. I have to make a living so any amount is acceptable,” she said.
Lydia said she is in control of the escapades and she strictly demands the use of a condom.

“I have no client going for the skin pleasure, it is a never done act. I have a child to raise so I can never cross the risk line. To be sure that the condom is intact I use the female condom as that puts me in control,” she said.
Lydia visits her child and aunt once every month.

“My mother now wants to look after my child, but I have refused. They see my aunt is now living large and would prefer that they look after my child. Even if I were to die today, my aunt is someone to be trusted with the raising up of my child, so she remains in custody of my girl,” she said.

Lydia said she is building fowl runs at her aunt’s homestead and intends to retire one day and go into poultry farming.
“I intend to bring up my child the normal way so I will go into poultry farming in two years’ time. I do not want my child to do the same work as I do.

“It is so mechanical for me. I no longer enjoy sex, it’s work I can even satisfy a client with my shoes on,” she said.
She laughed it off by asking: “Do you take your shoes off when at work, so why should I take off my shoes, unless it is an all-night session, short stints, shoes on so is the protection.”

Another sex worker who only identified herself as Mimi said she is in the industry not by choice.
The woman plies Chiremba Road in Harare and works under the cover of darkness.
Mimi said she has had several encounters with the law enforcement agents as she gets arrested either for soliciting or for indecent exposure.

“I have had nasty experiences with the cops and have appeared in court. I was informed that if I am to be arrested for soliciting for prostitution again I will be jailed. I, however, have no choice as I have two kids to raise,” said Mimi.

Mimi lives in Epworth, which is a peri-urban suburb 20km outside Harare, hence she uses the main road leading to her home as her hunting ground.

“I live with my children in Epworth and it is therefore easier that I work near home. I can’t do this during day time and even my neighbours do not even know that I am a hooker. I trade from 10pm till late. The vagaries of weather, come rain, come cold see me on the street as I have to bring food on the table,” she said.

Mimi said she does not have the power to demand the use of protection in most cases.
“There are some clients who demand to have it live, I have no power to refuse, anyway I do not even know my HIV status so what is there to be afraid of besides sexually transmitted diseases and getting pregnant,” quipped Mimi.

Mimi said she is disturbed by working women who too under the cover of darkness strut the streets soliciting for sex.
“I do not understand some women who are gainfully employed, but still choke our shrinking market. They should manage the little they get paid at work and leave sex work for us the unemployed. If I were to get employed today I would call it quits,” said Mimi.
On being asked what her skills were and which trade she would be comfortable doing Mimi said she was yet to discover that.

“I have been a sex worker for over a decade and that is the only job I know. I would like to find out if given a chance what other skill I can do.
“It is very scaring waiting in the dark to be picked up by a total stranger, but those are the risks of the profession,” she added.
Mimi said there have been times that she has been robbed by a client after offering services.

“Being picked up in the dark is a risk, you do not get to see the person. One takes you to any dark alley and only last week we got arrested by Braeside police when making out in a car. They locked us up and the man was asked to phone his wife to inform her that he had been arrested.

“We were only released after paying fines the next day when the wife came to his rescue. I think they wanted to embarrass the man. As for me, I can never get embarrassed because that is my trade.

“I am afraid of being sent to court because I once paid a fine. I was told that next time I will go to jail for six months,” said Mimi.
In Zimbabwe, it is a crime to solicit for the purpose of prostitution.
Section 81 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act 81 defines soliciting as

(1) “publicly solicits” means —
(a) solicits in a public place or any place to which the public or any section of the public have access; or
(b) solicits by publication of the solicitation in any printed or electronic medium for reception by the public.
(2) Any person who publicly solicits another person for the purposes of prostitution shall be guilty of soliciting and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both.

People may argue that the same women can sell vegetables or keep chickens, but one needs empowerment to start such a venture even on a small scale.

Why would one risk getting infected with HIV? The women argue that they would either die from hunger if not Aids.
According to the National Aids Council survey of 2010 eight in 10 women and men know that HIV can be prevented by using condoms. Nine in 10 women and men know that HIV can be prevented by limiting sex to one uninfected partner.

With such knowledge one would think that there would be minimal risk takers.
Mr Amon Mpofu, NAC monitoring and evaluation director, said that there was a decrease of new HIV infections in the adult population.
“Nationally 15 percent of adults are HIV positive. This is a significant decrease from 18 percent in 2005-06. Prevalence is highest among those who are widowed and those who are divorced/separated. The prevalence rate increases with number of lifetime partners,” he said.
He also pointed out that there was an increase in new sexually transmitted diseases from 2010 where 248 955 got STIs. In 2011 the figure jumped to 255 821 and in 2012 it stood at 261 032.

“A cause of concern is the number of repeat STIs nationally. In 2012 the first quarter recorded 10 000 repeat infections. In the second quarter it went up to 15 974, the third quarter doubled to 31 435 and closed the year at 32 021 which is worrisome,” said Mr Mpofu.

Behaviour change programmes need to be supported with livelihood ventures if the nation is to succeed in curbing new and repeat STI and HIV infections. Sex workers know of the risk of HIV infection but need to be empowered with skills or venture financing.

Early this year the Chinese Embassy donated grinding mills to the Zimbabwe HIV/Aids Activists Union as a way to empower positive living.

Similar schemes need to cascade and embrace sex workers.

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