COMMERCIAL sex workers are living in fear of contracting the coronavirus from their clients and are currently inquiring on best ways to practise safe sex to avoid infection.
BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
The pandemic has hit the world’s oldest profession hard following the lockdown restrictions that saw their hunting grounds being shut to avert the spread of the deadly disease.
Life Health Education Development director Primrose Fundai, whose organisation works with commercial sex workers, said they had begun researching on safe sex during the pandemic as most of them rely on sex work for a living.
“We advise them to respect social distancing, but given the lockdown extension, they cannot bear it,” she said.
Fundai said some of the sex workers were failing to access medication.
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“The sex workers are affected as denoted by massive food shortages. Since the lockdown, they have been struggling to survive as before. Some need to go and collect their medication during this lockdown but they do not have written letters to permit them to travel. They are being hindered by the restrictions,” she added.
Fundai said it was high time government honoured its pledge to provide a relief fund, adding that a number of sex workers registered for the money.
There are close to 400 sex workers in Marondera with the number increasing during the tobacco selling season.
The opening of a tobacco sales floor in the town’s industrial area is expected to attract sex workers from as far as Mutare once lockdown restrictions are eased.