A CASE FOR THE DECRIMINALISATION OF PROSTITUTION? A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE WOMEN IN PROSTITUTION IN HARARE, ZIMBABWE BY Tariro TANDI Supervisor: Dr Amy S. TSANGA A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Masters Degree in Women’s Law, Southern and Eastern African Regional Centre for Women’s Law, University of Zimbabwe 2012 Abstract This brave piece of research seeks a solution to the growing numbers of prostitutes in Zimbabwe following its recent economic and social disintegration. So far, the law (carried over from the country’s British colonial past), which criminalises prostitution, has exacerbated rather than curbed the problem. Adopting a liberal feminist perspective and employing the unique Women’s Law Approach, this intrepid and compassionate writer conducts her research of about 40 prostitutes operating at both ends of the economic spectrum within Harare, the country’s capital. The aim of this methodology is to utilise whatever approaches are necessary (e.g., the Grounded Theory and Human Rights, Law, Sex and Gender Analysis Approaches) to search out and reveal the lived realities of prostitutes (or the full gendered impact of the multiple legal, political, economic, social and cultural contexts in which they live) in order to examine, from their point of view, the law and society which confronts them. Relevant data collected for the study includes a review of the law and literature on the subject, interviews and discussions with prostitutes, their clients, policemen, lawyers, magistrates, MPs, government policy advisors and NGO representatives. The findings of the research highlight the fact that criminalizing prostitution (apart from registering society’s strong patriarchal yet hypocritical moral opposition to prostitution) ignores the lived realities of prostitutes who, because of their impoverished economic and family circumstances, are forced to enter into prostitution and make their living from it because they do not possess the educational qualifications to secure employment in Zimbabwe’s shrinking and low-paying formal sector. It also reveals that criminalising prostitution drives prostitutes underground, exposing them to serious violence, health risks, discrimination and police harassment. Balancing the Zimbabwean’s strong moral opposition to legalising prostitution against the need to remove the negative aspects of its current criminalisation, the writer suggests that prostitution should be decriminalised (as opposed to legalised) and suggests various legal and economic reforms which will help to assist and protect prostitutes but discourage the practice of prostitution. ii Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................. iii Declaration ........................................................................................................................................................................... vi Dedication ........................................................................................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................................ viii Acronyms and Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................................... ix International Human Rights and Regional Conventions cited ......................................................................... x Various Statutes cited ........................................................................................................................................................ x Table of Cases cited ............................................................................................................................................................ x List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................................................... x List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Location of the Study ........................................................................................................................................ 3 1.4 Significance of the Study.................................................................................................................................. 4 1.5 Research Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.6 Research Assumptions ..................................................................................................................................... 5 1.7 Research Questions ........................................................................................................................................... 6 1.8 Definition of Key Concepts ............................................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER 2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.0 LAW AND LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................ 9 2.1 A Brief Historical Analysis of the Laws on Prostitution ..................................................................... 9 2.2 Feminist Perspectives on Prostitution .................................................................................................... 11 2.3 A Reflection on African Sexuality in relation to Prostitution ......................................................... 14 2.4 An Analysis of different Legal Frameworks on Prostitution .......................................................... 17 2.5 Domestic Legal Framework ......................................................................................................................... 20 2.6 Human Rights Framework ........................................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................................................................................................ 25 3.0 THE METHODOLOGY FOR THE STUDY AND DATA COLLECTION METHODS ................... 25 iii 3.1 The Methodological Framework ................................................................................................................ 25 3.2 The Methodology for the Study .................................................................................................................. 26 3.2.1 Grounded Theory .................................................................................................................................................. 26 3.2.2 Women’s Law Approach ................................................................................................................................... 28 3.2.3 Human Rights Approach ................................................................................................................................... 32 3.2.4 Sex, Gender and Law Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 33 3.3 Data Collection Methods ................................................................................................................................ 34 3.3.1 Key Informant Interviews ................................................................................................................................. 34 3.3.2 Focus Group Discussions ................................................................................................................................... 35 3.3.3 Court Observation ................................................................................................................................................ 36 3.3.4 Desk Research ....................................................................................................................................................... 37 3.3.5 Language ................................................................................................................................................................. 37 3.3.6 Ethical Considerations ....................................................................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER 4 ...........................................................................................................................................................