The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Johannesburg, South Africa | ALL AFRICA.COM | Activists and their opponents are set to face off in court this week as the Western Cape High Court hears legal arguments for a ruling on whether sex work should be decriminalised, reports EWN.
The case brought by the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) is challenging the criminalisation of sex work as unconstitutional in a long-running bid to recognise the sex industry.
The National Prosecuting Authority has placed a moratorium on prosecuting sex workers until the ruling is made. SWEAT spokesperson Megan Lessing said that the illicit sex industry could bring in a potential tax revenue of R8 billion if decriminalised.
Lessing said the decriminalisation of sex work is already part of government policy and the Department of Justice has opted not to oppose the case.
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SOURCE: ALL AFRICA.COM
This case is worth watching because the debate goes beyond criminal penalties. Decriminalisation also raises questions about safety, taxation, health, regulation and the ability of sex workers to report abuse without fear of prosecution. From a Ugandan perspective, the industry is increasingly visible online through platforms such as Uganda Escorts, which shows how much the market has already shifted to digital spaces. Whatever the court decides, governments will eventually have to address the reality of the industry rather than treating it as something that does not exist.