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Saturday Star - 29 April 2000
By Claudia Mpeta
Nearly half the hookers on streets of Joburg are children
At least 4 000 children are among the 10 000 prostitutes jostling for clients in Johannesburg's streets. Child prostitution is on the increase nationwide, and the demand for child prostitutes, especially black children, is on the increase. Contrary to widespread belief, not all the kids on the street are from poverty-stricken homes or are street children - even some apparently well-off kids from the northern suburbs sell their bodies after school to raise money to feed their voracious drug habits. And the situation is getting worse, according to representatives of several organizations dealing with the sexual exploitation of children. They say urgent intervention by the government is needed to help prevent girls from turning to prostitution.
The House Group, an organization working in Hillbrow, estimates that 40% of sex workers in Johannesburg are under 18. The average age of a child prostitute is about 14, with some as young as 7 being forced to the streets by their parents, or sold to pimps or gangs.
Sex Tourism
The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) in Cape Town says that at least 1 000 of the city's 4 000 sex workers are children. 'Because of the hidden nature of sex work, statistics aren't available,' says Molo Songolo, who works for an organization that is currently researching the trafficking of women and children for sex. 'But what has emerged is that there is an increasing demand for children, especially black children, for sex. This appears to be linked to the increase in tourism to South Africa. International research has shown that southern countries are a prime destination for sex tourists.' she says. Songolo adds that children in South Africa are perceived to be sexually active at an ear4ly age and an easy target for tourists.
The United States recently called for urgent global action to combat the multibillion-rand 'slave trade' in women and children for sex. Global estimates put the annual turnover derived from human trafficking at well over R12-billion.
'The increase in poverty has resulted in an increase in the number of children exposed to physical and sexual abuse,' says SWEAT's Glynis Rhodes. 'Children run to the streets to escape abuse and are often forced into prostitution to survive. There is also an increase in hidden prostitution. These children have regulars who pick them up for sex in exchange for something as basic as a burger.'
Several organizations blame the government for not doing much to address the problem. And there are very few places for young girls to turn to. 'Places of safety don't want children who are sexually active.' Says Adele du Plessis, co-founder of The House Group.
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