Some prostitutes are living in great fear after some men in Zvishavane area of Zimbabwe have found a new way of having s*x with them without paying.
*Photo used for illustrative purpose*
Men in the mining town of Zvishavane in Zimbabwe have found a way of having s*x with prostitutes without paying a dime and walking away gallantly.
How are they doing it?
H-metro reports that the men who are mostly artisanal miners are allegedly using machetes to demand for unprotected free s*x from prostitutes in the area. The tactics is so popular that it has been nicknamed “mabhemba”.
The report further stated that the artisanal miners, commonly known as makorokoza, are said to have been unleashing terror in the mining town using machetes targeting s*x workers.
According to some s*x workers who access health care services through the Centre for sexual health HIV/AIDS Research (CESSHAR), many s*x workers have been reportedly forced into s*x by the machete wielding makorokozas. “Our greatest challenge in this area are the makorokozas who use machetes to demand for unprotected s*x. They use force to demand for s*x yet they don’t want to pay.
"At first they come as potential clients, but the moment you go behind closed doors you find out they have a machete they were hiding under their pants,” said one of the s*x worker who identified herself as Sophia.
The s*x workers revealed this in a meeting with National AIDS Council (NAC) and journalists during a tour in the mining town ahead of the World AIDS Day. Another s*x worker during the tense meeting accused the young s*x workers of housing theses machete-wielding men who have become a major threat in Zvishavane.
"So many times those are unfortunate to have an encounter with the machete-wielding makorokozas have been forced into unprotected s*x which has resulted in sexually transmitted and HIV infections,” concurred another s*x worker.
The s*x workers argue that while they celebrated the Constitutional Court ruling which last year, outlawed the arrest of s*x workers accused for loitering for the purpose of prostitution, the makorokozas have taken advantage of the absence of police officers at night to unleash terror on s*x workers. The s*x workers, who are classified as a key population in HIV management, thanked CESSHAR, adding that they really have been of help in the face of all these challenges where they find themselves in forced unprotected s*x encouthers, resulting in them getting infected.
“As you know there is so much stigma associated with s*x work which has made it very difficult for us to walk into a public health facility to access medical care. Every time you have an STI, you are asked to bring your partner at the clinics before you can be treated. How do I bring a partner when I’m a s*x worker who does not know most of the men she sleeps with,” argued one of the s*x worker plying her trade in Mandava Township."
The escalating machete attacks have also forced night spots owners to tighten their security with patrons being searched for any weapons before entering a bar. Some owners have also placed notices that patrons should not be found in possession of weapons in bars.
Commenting on the issue of machete-wielding men in Zvishavane, NAC provincial AIDS coordinator for Midlands’s province said they were working with the Victim Friendly Unit, urging all the s*x workers who have been violated to report cases through this police unit.
“Gender Based Violence is rampant due to mining activities and we are seized with issues of abuse among this group. s*x workers are urged to report any cases of abuse through the Victim Friendly Unit so that we collectively curb cases of abuse especially among s*x workers if we are to cut on new infections and ending AIDS,” said Mambeu Shumba.
