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DANCING the night away . . . Two child prostitutes dance at a nightclub while sharing a bottle of beer in this file picture

Tsungai Chekerwa-Machokoto

Our precious children, the future generation, the little people that should be protected are the ones that are taking issues of survival into their own hands; that is a catastrophe. I have an issue with the men that drive to Epworth to pay for sex with children without even flinching. It is not just one area where this is happening, it is across the country

A new concern has arisen in recent years and it is evidently getting worse with each day and that is child prostitution.

What baffles me is that there is actually a “market” for that. A grown up man, a fully grown up man, can make a trip to go and pay for sex with a child. That is really scary if you look at it morally alone. Child prostitution is wrong on so many levels and it needs to stop.

Prostitution as we know it is always a hot topic because it is an industry that we struggle to accept. People don’t understand the necessity of the sex industry. Being a conservative Christian nation, we are one of the few countries that resist legalising prostitution.

Society attaches so many connotations to women that are into it because they think those women enjoy sex and are lazy to get jobs. Some think it’s just pure evil. Others reason that it must become legalised so that the State can impose some boundaries for how it happens and maybe also control the part prostitution plays in the spread of HIV and Aids! Bottom line is prostitution is a reality that is hard for us to integrate into our lifestyles.

When it comes to child prostitution, the situation is chilling. Recently, there was an extremely disturbing recording that was passed around on different social media platforms.

It was of a nine-year-old child that was relating her experiences to a radio DJ. I wish I could say I could not believe it, but unfortunately in my sort of work, I have come across similar cases. Some said it was a hoax but at the pit of my stomach, I had a feeling it was true. That recording was so horrific that it caused an outrage from different Zimbabwean groups.

Human rights lawyers rushed to Epworth, the area in question, to try and investigate the accuracy of the situation. Church groups panicked and also went. Different non-governmental organisations did the same thing. My issue is not with the actual prostitution, no. I have an issue with the desperate poverty that is pushing children to resort to prostitution as a means of survival.

Our precious children, the future generation, the little people that should be protected are the ones that are taking issues of survival into their own hands; that is a catastrophe. I have an issue with the men that drive to Epworth to pay for sex with children without even flinching. It is not just one area where this is happening, it is across the country.

I don’t know what has happened to moral sensors that makes us numb to evil. Children should never have to worry about basic human rights like the right to education and the right to human dignity. It broke my heart to hear a child talking about rent money and money for food. She also talked about using some of her “work” money to buy drugs that will help her be numb and for her to stop being shy so she can go through with it. What a way to live!

It is unfortunate that some of the organisations that manipulate funds out of philanthropists in the name of helping children divert them for causes known to them. Children therefore remain in a vulnerable position. When the arresting is done, such organisations should not be spared as their criminality is at par with the perpetrators.

As Zimbabweans, we need to take ownership of the child prostitution situation. If we know any children being violated in this way, we can play a part in saving their lives and redirecting their future by reporting such cases to the police or other relevant organisations that deal with children.

Arresting the men that go to the children will obviously not solve the problem. The challenges that the children face are what drives them to get to such desperation. That is what needs to be solved first. If the children’s basic needs like shelter and food are catered for, it will make sense to then arrest the perpetrators.

What I know for sure is that with sufficient basic provisions for children, they would not be interested in sex work. That’s where society comes in. If we see children that appear to be neglected, it should weigh heavy on our consciences and propel us to be moved to do something.

Children are our heritage. They are our legacy. They are the future. We ought to invest everything we possibly can to facilitate their success. It is not only monetary investment that is necessary, but also an investment into children with virtues because those are timeless. For the word prostitution to be used in the same sentence as children is a crime. It is evil and this type of crime should skip our land if it was up to me. Let’s play a part to assist these children.

Report child prostitution today.