Child prostitution on the rise in South Sudan
March 14, 2015 (JUBA) – Prostitution in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, is on steady rise following the outbreak of violence in December 2013 which is blamed for economic downfall and hardship among families.
Despite its illegality by law, sexual workers mostly foreigners, have been trading their bodies in many of the hotels or brothels in the city with the law enforcement agencies literally doing almost nothing to stop it.
A recent appalling situation however depicted a rise in child trafficking and abuse as many underage South Sudanese young girls have resorted to prostitution in order to make a living for themselves or for their families.
Mary (full name withheld), a 14-year old girl said she resorted to sex trade in Juba to make a living.
“I have nobody in Juba, so I ended up here at the lodge [brothel] to make a little bit of money,” she told Aljazeera TV.
Mary who hails from the Dinka-Bor community of Jonglei state explained that her father died a few years ago and she lost contact with her mother. A distant relative, she said, took her to Juba.
She also revealed having contracted the deadly HIV/AIDS after clinical examination tested positive.
Another 14-year orphan girl, Susan, also lamented her experience with older men who had to pay her in return for her body.
Like many other girls she was introduced to prostitution by friends, she added.
Last week, a report issued by the US state department similarly claimed that child prostitution in South Sudan is on the rise, blaming the dire situation on the ongoing conflict.
“The level of displacement has really increased the risk of how many children are exposed to potential trafficking. Lots of children have lost family support and are at greater risk of being exploited,” a US embassy official said.
Over the estimated 3,000 sex workers in Juba, at least 500 of them are believed to be underage girls.
2013 data earlier suggested that over 90% of Juba’s sex workers are foreign women from the neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but many of them returned to their home countries when fighting broke out at the end of the year.
Young South Sudanese girls started to fill the void in the sex industry, partly fuelled by the increased presence of soldiers around Juba, agencies said.
“The breakdown of traditional family structures during the war, neglect and abuse often precede child prostitution,” explained Cathy Groenendijk, Director of Confident Children out of Conflict.
South Sudanese officials at the ministry of gender, child and social welfare confirmed their knowledge of the ongoing child trafficking, but cited lack of resources to investigate this negative trend.
“We need to find out who are these elderly women who bring young girls to the brothels to work for them – it is like slavery actually,” said Regina Ossa Lullo, director of gender and child welfare in the ministry.
Reports further claim that senior government officials including officers in the army and police have taken part in the sex trade by establishing lodges or brothels and luring young girls to offer their bodies and rent their brothels.
Also some families in destitute encourage their daughters to go out in search for sex clients.
While sex workers are paid $5 to $10 dollars per client, brothel owners make up to $1,500 a month from the business.
However, according to sections 253 and 257 of South Sudan’s penal code, brothel owners are liable to two years of imprisonment, while harbouring minors under 18 for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual activity is subject to a 7 to 12 years of prison sentence.
Authorities have made limited efforts at eradicating brothels given the involvement of members of the authorities in the illegal act.
Members of the police allegedly instead go on rampage in the brothels threatening to shut them down, but only end up abusing the girls and taking money from them in bribery.
Police spokesperson however denied knowledge of the incidents by the police, blaming the crimes on criminals who wear uniforms.
“Many people these days wear uniforms, they may not even be police,” said Colonel James Monday Enoka, director of public relations in the ministry of interior.
He said no cases of misconduct or abuse by the police in the areas hosting brothels have been brought to his attention.
(ST)