Sex workers adopt new tactics

Source: Daily Graphic Ghana  -  Despite the illegal nature of their trade, sex workers continue to operate in broad day light at some shopping malls, high-end hotels and restaurants in the nation’s capital.

Their mode of operation is to dress well, buy a drink or just walk around pretending to be shopping or waiting for someone while they look around and find ways to approach their targets.

‘I was shocked when one well-dressed young lady approached me at one of the malls last week. I initially thought she was a marketing executive from one of the shops so I stopped to listen to her only to realise she was just ‘marketing’ herself, ’ a male shopper told The Mirror.

He said the lady,who was not shy, told him what she had to offer if he was ready to pay for it.

As if that was not enough, she further went ahead to give him her mobile number to call her should he have a change of mind.

This method seems more convenient for sex workers as they are not easily identified or noticed by security personnel or authorities at the properties where they operate.

A taxi driver said some of the sex workers, usually ladies, were even ready to satisfy their clients in the taxis at night.

“We see a lot of things around here. Sometimes, we see people having sex in a vehicle at the car park but what can we say or do?

He said some of the girls also leave their contact numbers on windscreens of ‘posh’ vehicles for suitors to call them.

According to the taxi driver, it was difficult to make out the girls as commercial sex workers due to how well they dress and the ‘new’ mode of operation.

“These ladies are hi-tech sex workers with some driving their own expensive cars. Their targets are obviously rich men who are ready to pay high prices for their services,” he added.

Section 274 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) which talks about persons trading in prostitution, states that “any person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution; or is proved to have, for the purposes of gain, exercised control, direction or influence over the movements of a prostitute in such manner as to aid, abet or compel the prostitution with any person or generally, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”

Additionally, Section 275 of the same Act also states that “any person who in any public place persistently solicits or importunes to obtain clients for any prostitute or for any other immoral purpose shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”

Explaining this law, the Public Relations Officer of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Joseph Benefo Darkwa, said the law is clear on prostitution and so people caught in such an act were usually arrested and prosecuted.

He said the police had carried out several operations where people were arrested and prosecuted after investigations had been carried out.

He explained that arrests could be made if there was evidence from property owners about activities of commercial workers or if they were caught in the act.

“Prostitution is an offence but such cases are dealt with carefully because the suspect can sue for infringement of human rights if there was no evidence or proof of such activities.”

ASP Darkwa also advised owners of properties to tighten security at their premises and prompt the police should they sense or catch anyone or group of people involved in such indecent behaviour.