Many workers are facing an uncertain future, or an immediate financial struggle, due to the coronavirus outbreak. And for one industry, the impact has been unavoidable.
In different parts of the country like Hoima where sex workers are registered under an association, they are calling for government support both registered and non-recognized as workers.
“Nobody wants to go on working, of course,” one sex worker who spoke to us on condition of anonymity said adding that “but without access to financial support, some are forced to continue working outside, meeting clients, and putting themselves at risk of contracting and spreading coronavirus.”
“We are demanding recognition that sex work is work so we can get the benefits,” she said. “We are demanding that now so we can get the packages everyone is entitled to in this crisis in order to keep going, and not to have to go out and do any more sex work.”
It’s a similar situation in other parts of the country. In Soroti for example, sex workers today stormed the district Administration block demanding for food, lest they return to their business of sleeping with truck drivers for money.
The group in a written compliant assured the district Vice Chairperson, Simon Edoru that if their grievances are not solved within 4 days, they will return to the truck drivers.
26 in number, the sex vendors met Simon Edoru, the district LC 5 Vice Chairperson, with whom they shared their grievances stressing that with prostitution, they were vulnerable.
“I started prostitution because my husband died leaving me with 5 children but now my only source of income has also been suspended because of Covid – 19,” Jane (not her real name) said.
Edoru, calmed down the sex workers promising to present their issue before the district coronavirus task-force soon enough.
