Some of the prostitutes say that the time had come for the Nigerian government to grant them their due recognition and further recognize that as human beings trying to keep body and soul going, the ‘profession’ should be considered legitimate enough to put a stop to its discrimination and stigmatization.
Though many of them did not realize that a day like this was set aside for them until they were told, they also called on rights activists to assist them gain the desired recognition.
“See, many people, including you, do not see us as human beings. In your mind, we are a condemned set of Nigerians who sell their bodies so cheaply, but that thought is not right,” Jane, a lady from eastern Nigeria who operates at a brothel close to the railway line in Agege.
Her colleague, a 27-year old from southern Nigeria, said with their rights recognized, they could pay tax to the government and to be seen as decent people in the society.
“In some countries abroad, sex workers pay taxes. There is no discrimination, they can sue and even have streets, mainly in red light districts allocated to them to carry out their trades.
“But here in Nigeria, we are faced with rejection from the society, serious harassment by the police, and victimization by our customers.
“You can imagine a customer who rushes into this place in a desperate bid to ease himself, jumps at one of us after a bargain and rides like a horse only to renege on the agreement on how much he should pay. If we have our rights, we could call for his arrest without shame or molestation from security agents and other Nigerians,” she explained.
She also called for support from non-government and rights organizations, saying they are in a better position to help in the fight.
The International Sex Workers’ Rights Day is marked on 3 March every year to call the world’s attention to the plight of sex workers and demand for their rights.
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