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Daniel Chigunwe Mash Central Correspondent
Marauding illegal artisanal miners have unleashed a reign of terror on commercial sex workers, subjecting them to inhuman treatment.
A Mvurwi-based organisation which deals with the plight of commercial sex workers, Kurainashe said several sex workers in areas like Mazowe (Jumbo), Glendale and Nzvimbo are complaining of the inhuman treatment they are being subjected to by the illegal artisanal mines.
Kurainashe field officer, Mr Ngoni Mudoti, said continuous harassment and physical abuse of commercial sex workers was rampant in mining areas, thereby endangering their lives.
“As an organisation, we conduct sessions and educate sex workers on correct and consistent use of condoms and protection during their line of trade. Our aim is to reduce the rate of new infections. However, we have been facing challenges in terms of securing condoms.
“During these sessions, sex workers said they are facing challenges of both physical and sexual violence being perpetrated by the violent illegal artisanal miners. They complained that some of them demand unprotected sex. We have also gathered that some the illegal artisanal miners refuse to pay for the services rendered to them and when the sex workers persist on demanding their payments, they are being assaulted,” said Mr Mudoti.
He further decried the stigmatisation some of the sex workers are being subjected to by health workers.
“When they visit health facilities to access treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, they are facing challenges of stigmatisation and discrimination from health service providers and end up shunning visiting these facilities. This will result in an increase in cases of sexually transmitted diseases,” he said,
Mazowe District recorded the highest number of sexually transmitted diseases in Mashonaland Central Province. According to statistics from the National Aids Council, Mazowe District has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the province of 16.4 percent. Mashonaland Central National Aids Council provincial manager, Mr Edgar Muzulu recently said there is need for people in these areas to be educated about HIV and AIDS, adding that the focus is now on dealing with the difficulty populations like artisanal gold mining areas to further reduce the spread of the disease.
“Artisanal mining areas like Jumbo Mine in Mazowe and Mukaradzi in Mt Darwin top the list on facilitating the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and new infections in Mashonaland Central Province because they attract a lot of people due to the availability of foreign currency that is generated from the mining activities taking place there,” he said.
Mazowe North council chairperson Alderman Shereni Mazhambe also revealed that between November and December this year he has received about five cases of sexual violence in Mvurwi.
“I am aware that there are reports of sex workers who have been victims and I have handled about 5 cases including an incident where an artisanal miner ignited dynamites at one of the sex workers places in Mvurwi after catching her with another boyfriend. I have also come to the rescue of another mentally challenged 39 year old woman by the name Bertha Matereke who is currently admitted at Mvurwi Hospital, she was being sexually abused and this only came to light after she was found unconscious,” revealed Mazhambe.
Online Reporter