'Sex workers at cops' mercy'

2006-05-17 22:39

Marius Louw

Cape Town - An organisation fighting for the rights of sex workers released research on Wednesday that claimed police were exploiting sex workers and violating their rights.

Excerpts from statements by sex workers, who were allegedly forced to have sex with members of the police, also were read out at a seminar here.

The research was done by Nicole Fick of Sweat, who released the results at a seminar of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).

Although the police service was invited to the seminar, no one arrived to give their side of the story. However, three groups of police attended the seminar as observers.

Claims that assaults are common

Sweat analysed statements after alleged incidents of abuse and harassment of 48 sex workers.

Allegations were made of rape and the release of sex workers after they had had sex with a member of the police.

According to the research, sex workers often were assaulted by police. They were allegedly cursed, verbally abused, kicked and unnecessarily sprayed with pepper spray.

Sweat's study also found that sex workers were arrested several times a month, but never appeared in court or in front of a magistrate.

According to the sex workers, one out of every three was forced to have sex with members of the police. Sex with more than one member was also reported.

Six of the sex workers reported rape of either themselves or somebody they knew.

The seminar also was told of abuse of power.

According to sex workers, they often got "varying fines" ranging from R50 to R500 and more, but they never received a receipt for payment.

In some incidents, the sex workers' clients also had to pay bribes ranging from R300 and R1 000.

If they refused to pay, they were "threatened with arrest or that their wives would be called".

Sometimes sex workers were dropped off far from their homes.

In one instance, a sex worker, who was picked up at Faure, was dropped off in Stellenbosch and had to find her way home in the dark.

It was claimed that some sex workers were held in custody for up to seven days without being charged.

Sweat director Jane Arnott said the organisation wasn't seeking a confrontation with police.

"We are trying to look for a way forward, and we will have to follow up these matters with police again," she said.

Being handled at national level

Chandre Gould from ISS in Pretoria said the police had been invited to take part in the debate.

According to an informed source, the sex-worker issue is being handled by the police at national level.

But, this could not be confirmed by superintendent Elna de Beer of the SAPS media department.

She referred queries to director Phuti Setati, the national media liaison chief.

Setati said he had not attended the seminar and could not comment yet.

- Die Burger