APIN TAKES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION TO SEX WORKERS
BY PROSPER OKOYE –
In the spirit of celebrating the immense importance of women to the world, the Non-governmental organization, Aids Prevention In Nigeria (APIN), celebrated the 2022 International Women’s Day, with sex workers, at their brothels in Gboko.
“A world without a woman is not a world,” says Beatrice Ngozi (Benue State APIN Gender Focal Person) “women should be celebrated without any bias.”
At the brothels, she tells the girls:
“You are an essential part of our society; therefore, you must break all forms of bias that is holding you down. Being in this profession doesn’t mean you don’t have your rights as citizens.
“Women are powerful, don’t let cultural or political barriers pull you down, you must get involved with all aspect of social life. HIV is real; you must always negotiate for safe sex.”
Some of the girls share their experiences of gender base violence:
According to the Chair lady of Starlight brothel, Helen Jima, harassment in the brothel happens on a daily basis.
“Men would use their phones to video us in the brothel, without our consent.”
Magdalene John says: “Some men want to have sex with us without protection, so they would purposely break their condom. When we insist that they should buy another one, they would beat us up.”
Lola Oche says: “Some men would take drugs, and they will pay to have sex on a short time base, but would end up staying for hours. When you ask for additional money it will result to violence.
Lola further said poverty and hardship made her work in the brothel. “I am a trained computer operator, but I don’t have the money to start up my business. When i go to work for someone else, they would offer to pay me 8,000 naira for a month, which is not enough to take care of myself and my family.
APIN KP Assistant Technical officer, Iombor Samuel, advised the girls to be united in order protect themselves from gender base violence.
Brothels that were visited in Gboko were:
Yakamata, Starlight, T-Mark, Poto-poto and Hollywood.
