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.
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.
“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. Newsday
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