Mosidi Mokaeya
6th July 2021
Sisonke Botswana Organization (SBO) estimates that over 200 undocumented migrant sex workers mostly from Zimbabwe live in Gaborone with about 140 alleging constant abuse mostly in the form of rape perpetrated by Batswana men, who often approach the victims pretending to be well meaning clients.
The pleas for help came to SBO between January and November 2020. “The women told us they often get raped. They also encounter a lot of economic abuse; this is where the client refuses to pay after the sex worker generously renders her services. They also endure physical abuse from their clients resulting in evident severe bruises,” said Mandla Pule, Spokesperson at SBO. He added; “The year is not even over yet. I am worried about the abuse the women are likely to get over the holidays. Sadly holidays always mean more clients for the sex worker; however the festivities also come with more abuse for the undocumented ones.”
This publication managed to speak to women who bear the brunt of such crimes within Gaborone’s seemingly thriving sex work industry. They said perpetrators target them because of their illegal status. Not only are the Zimbabwean women living undocumented in Gaborone, they are also living off sex work. Their illegal status and lifestyle is viewed negatively with the local justice system unnecessarily prejudicing them.
Instead they continue to get abused by opportunistic local men who sometimes rape them in groups. Some soon to be monster men masquerade as prospective bosses promising lucrative returns in exchange for housekeeping and childcare services, removing them from the streets, only to rape them and not pay them their dues.
The victims told this publication in anonymity that the perpetrators are ordinary looking men who masquerade as well-meaning clients. They then transport them to a different location and do with them as they please. “It is hard to differentiate at face value as clients always appear to be nice. The monster comes out when we enter their homes or hotel rooms,” said one Bridget Dube (not her real name), A Zimbabwean undocumented sex worker living in Gaborone.
When asked for comment Pule said; “Sisonke is an organization that works closely with undocumented Zimbabwean sex workers. Covid 19 brought us even closer as they depend on us for food and other bare necessities especially during lock down periods. We listen to the stories of how they get raped all the time. They are afraid of deportation so they never report and unfortunately we cannot force them to. They depend on us for counselling services. It is also not easy for them to access health care services but we are working closely with Ministry of Health and Wellness to make it easier for them. Thankfully the ministry continues to sensitize its healthcare workers to treat them better with positive results slowly starting to show,” said Pule.
The helpless but seemingly strong and resilient sex workers said they felt extremely vulnerable. Unfortunately their chances of reporting as victims of such violations are minimal as they fear being deported back to Zimbabwe, where they insist the poverty is too much to bare. The money they get from their few honest customers they said is enough to take care of their families. They appear to ignore the pain and traumas of some horrific rape incidents to the very back of their minds and just keep soldiering on as the only option they have.
This publication sent out a media inquiry to Botswana Police Public Relations Office after numerous phone calls with the same office. The inquiry was to seek clarity on the police officer’s relationship with undocumented migrant sex workers and there was no response from law enforcement officials.
Meanwhile on the streets sex workers themselves are free to share their experiences as long as their identities are concealed. Precious Moyo (not her real name) agreed to talk to this publication. She was unable to hold back her tears as she narrated the bad side of the work she does in the streets. She said it often leads them into arms of merciless rapists who are as sadistic as they come.
“I am not the only one that goes through the bad luck. Other women who are also from Zimbabwe and are into sex work go through it too. Unfortunately the rapists target us because they know we can never report them,” she cried.
Moyo and at least 140 other women like her avoid going anywhere near a police station as victims of rape like citizens would. “What is going to happen to my family if I report the rapes to the police? The minute I get deported my children will lose their places at school,” she said.
The bread and butter issues that keep undocumented migrant sex workers on the harsh streets of Gaborone far outweigh the pain and perils that might otherwise lead a local sex worker to the police, in search of retributive justice. Moyo lives undocumented in Gaborone and has been living that way for the past 14 years. It has not been a pleasant journey for Moyo as she currently feels like she has nowhere to turn for help. Because of her “illegal” status, Moyo is afraid to report local men who constantly rape her.
Moyo recounted the many times her clients have led her into gang rapes and many other horrible situations. “This other time a man led me to a group of 12 friends in White City, they raped me one by one and kicked me out of the yard at 2am,” she said. Moyo has been into sex work ever since she arrived in the city at just the tender age of 20. She continues to go through hell in Gaborone but vowed to never go back home as she felt there was nothing to go back to.
