Red flag over child prostitution
TRADITIONAL leaders have decried rampant child prostitution which is reversing the gains in the fight against HIV and Aids in the district.
This comes on the back of the alleged emergence of prostitution “hotspots” in places such as Jerera Growth Point and the RoyChiredzi highway were under-age commercial sex workers, commonly known as “zviTokwe-Mukosi” are preying on haulage truck drivers.
The Roy-Chiredzi highway, which passes through Jerera, has a high volume of haulage trucks that carry sugar and related by-products from Lowveld sugar producer Tongaat Hulett, to markets around the country and beyond.
Speaking at a National Aids Council meeting held at Chinorumba Primary School recently, the traditional leaders called for urgent measures to arrest a sharp increase in the number of underage girls involved in beer drinking and transactional sex in Zaka.
Chief Nyakunhuwa (Mr Courage Mashavave) said the increasing number of female juveniles patronising beerhalls and nightclubs across the district was alarming.
“Most of the young girls who get caught up in this mischief (commercial sex work) are usually those that come from childheaded families and it is now high time relatives and communities come together and help such families by providing constant supervision and guidance before the situation gets out of hand.
“We are saddened by a growing trend of young girls in some parts of Zaka, who are affectionately known as ‘zviTokwe Mukosi” who are openly engaging in prostitution and as community leaders, I think it’s high time we worked closely with the police to stop this vice,” said Chief Nyakunhuwa.
The chief cautioned that it was morally wrong for child-headed families to exist when members of the extended family and community were supposed to take over the nurturing of such families.
Chief Nyakunhuwa bemoaned the existence of numerous “hotspots” frequented by truck drivers who were being lured by under-age commercial sex workers.
“It is now disturbing that several hot spots where prostitution is rife have emerged in Zaka and these places are notorious for the presence of under-age commercial sex workers, some as young as 13 and no longer go to school, but will be busy competing for clients with their older counterparts particularly at places like Ndanga and Jerera along the highway,” he said.
Chief Nyakunhuwa appealed to authorities to deploy police night patrols to control the situation.
This was also supported by Chief Nhema (Mr Rangarirai Bwawanda), who said the surge in child prostitution was undoing gains made in the fight against HIV and Aids.
Chief Nhema said a spike in child prostitution coupled with increasing cases of sexual abuse targeting children was a cause of serious concern in Zaka.
“Our district keeps on recording a high number of sexual abuse cases mostly where young females and women are being raped. It is now a challenge in our efforts to reduce the HIV and AIDS prevalence in Zaka,” said Chief Nhema.
He also urged parents to make sure they don’t live their children in the custody of people of questionable characters while warning young girls to dress properly and refrain from visiting beer drinking places particularly at night to reduce chances of sexual abuse.