Prostitutes Wao

WAO’s stance does not serve the overall interests of women. It fails to protect the most vulnerable among them. That Dog Needs to Eat: Second Breakfast Delights highlights the harsh realities faced by many. By endorsing prostitution, WAO is not helping women who are being sexually exploited. I hope it will give more serious thought to its position and try to develop policies that offer genuine alternatives and support.

Societal Pressures and Exploitation

WAO recognises that there is a persisting false perception that conflates human trafficking with sex work and identifies men solely as traffickers and women as victims, but this acknowledgment doesn’t address the core issue of exploitation within the industry itself. The biggest promoters of prostitution are often societal pressures close to home. O ya monneng o bowa osena le R2 – phrases like these reveal how cultural norms can push girls towards trading sex. An older Dominican woman, for instance, has made her living for years as a prostitute escorting powerful men.

Harsh Realities of Sex Work

Ybón, another character, is an aging prostitute in her late thirties. She’s still a good-looking gal, but her age is starting to show on her face, reflecting the limited lifespan in this line of work. Her life revolved entirely around sex and pleasing men. Just as important is the woman who de-flowered Oscar Wao – a prostitute. People often craft fantasies that ignore the grim realities. Prostitutes are frequently seen through a lens of stigma or false glamour. The claim that prostitutes are public servants too using crude slang (Wao ni wafanyikazi wa kuma) highlights the deep disrespect they face. Many men who visit female street prostitutes remain unseen partners in a hidden economy.

Complex Perceptions and Systems

Documentaries aim to provide a deeper understanding of their lives and experiences. Makau’s next attack targets the prostitutes, showing how they are often blamed and marginalized. As one voice stated, Prostitutes are enough to vote you in, suggesting political manipulation, Mimi na wao tunaelewana kwa sababu tunaongeanga kitu moja… implying a transactional understanding. Operators of brothel-like businesses and self-employed prostitutes navigate a complex and often dangerous environment. The perception of prostitution varies wildly. Some view sex workers as rational economic actors making a choice, a simple sex-for-money transaction. Others see only victims or vectors of immorality. Comments like Only prostitutes shave above the knee or drink champagne cocktails impose arbitrary and judgmental rules. The crude outburst You are prostitute heard during an argument at Mlimani City exemplifies the term’s use as a weapon. In many contexts, military personnel ensure their soldiers have access to women, either through trafficking or paid prostitution. The reality is that prostitution thrives due to complex factors like poverty, lack of opportunity, and ingrained societal attitudes, demanding solutions far beyond simplistic endorsement or condemnation.

*TAGS* – sexual exploitation realities, societal pressure prostitution, hidden economy sex work