The South African government has proposed decriminalizing prostitution in order to prevent rising violence against women. According to the Justice Department’s law, offering and using sexual services will no longer be considered a felony. According to groups, there are approximately 150,000 sex workers in the country.
“It is hoped that decriminalization will reduce human rights violations against sex workers,” Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said at a press briefing on Friday ( December 9).
“It would also allow sex workers better access to care and protection, better working conditions, and less discrimination and stigma,” he added.
South Africa, which has the world’s highest HIV cases, has been plagued by a surge in violence against women.
The number of rapes and sexual assaults climbed by 13% between 2017-2018 and 2021-2022, according to police numbers issued in November. Every 12 minutes, a rape is reported to the authorities, not including those that go unreported.
In the first three months of the year, female homicides rose by 52%.
According to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, female homicides increased 52% in the first three months of the year compared to the same period last year.
“If sex workers are no longer labeled as criminals, they will be able to work much better with the police to combat violence,” wrote the sex workers’ rights group SWEAT on Facebook, hailing the bill as “incredible news.”
Recent occurrences have outraged the nation, including a gang rape of eight women in July and the finding of half a dozen dead, some of whom were thought to be missing sex workers, in a Johannesburg building in October.
The bill must next be approved by Parliament, which will take several months
South Africa’s post-apartheid constitution is one of the world’s most liberal, permitting progressive abortion and gay marriage legislation, but sex workers have long faced stigma.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently determined that gender-based violence should be considered the biggest “pandemic” afflicting the country since fresh “horrific” crimes are published in the media on a daily basis.
The measure, which has been made available for comment, solely addresses decriminalization and does not handle the sex business, which the justice minister stated would be dealt at a later date.
The bill must next be approved by Parliament, which will take several months.