Drug bases: Harare’s haven of sex, drugs and vice
Sex workers bear a disproportionate burden of genderbased violence with significant consequences on their physical and mental health.
Sheila, a sex worker in Mbare said she was addicted to drugs and has since stopped peddling drugs.
Her life has not been a bed of roses as she is exposed to many trials and tribulations that make her chosen career path grim.
Sheila is among hordes of sex workers who are most vulnerable to gender based violence and HIV infection in the country.
According to UNAids, the global median HIV prevalence among sex workers is 2,5%, ranging from 0% to 62.3% , which is higher than the 0,7% global prevalence in the general adult population (aged 15–49 years).
“I used to sell drugs and I also traded sex,” Sheila said. I am now worn out and at some point I tried to hire some young girls to do it on my behalf, but they just left.
“At some point I was addicted to drugs and I would sell the drugs on the streets and at beer outlets.
“I can’t go to the bases now because I am no longer that attractive, I am living with HIV.”
“Get what you want and leave just now or else we will deal with you,” she said.
Development practitioner Takemore Mazuruse said sex workers feel marginalised and discriminated against on the basis that they are sex workers.
“The law and marginalisation make them more vulnerable to all sorts of violence by clients, pimps and drug base operators,” Mazaruse said.
“They are often harassed by the police or fall victim to crime by working in dangerous environments like drug bases where they go to escape public scrutiny.
“When they lodge complaints about sexual abuse perpetrated against them, they are not taken seriously simply because of their profession.”
Gender-based violence among adolescents remains a critical global issue, with detrimental effects on the physical, emotional, and social well-being of young individuals.
In response to rising cases of gender based violence among adolescents in Mbare, Hopley and other suburbs, Plan International - an organisation that advances children’s rights and promote equality for girls - through the Safe and Inclusive Cities project has implemented a range of interventions aimed at curbing the scourge and promoting gender equality among adolescents.
“Plan International through the project has employed a multifaceted approach to address genderbased violence among adolescents, focusing on prevention, advocacy, and empowerment,” said the organisation’s head of programmes Antoinette Ngoma.
“One of the key interventions implemented by the organisation is the promotion of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in schools and communities.
“Through CSE programmes, adolescents are equipped with knowledge and skills to understand and address issues related to consent, healthy relationships, and respectful behaviour, thereby reducing the risk of gender-based violence.”
Ngoma said in addition to CSE, targeted initiatives have been developed by the Safe and Inclusive Cities project to empower adolescent girls and boys, including leadership and life skills training, mentorship programmes and economic empowerment initiatives.
“These interventions aim to challenge traditional gender norms, build self-confidence, and promote the agency of adolescents in resisting and reporting instances of GBV,” she said.