By Austin Angwe, Makurdi
Stakeholders at a 2-day workshop on the theme: Enhancing Protection from Gender-Based Violence for vulnerable population especially female sex workers, FSWs, organized by Concerned Women International Development Initiative, CWIDI, have emphasized the need for the vulnerable particularly female sex workers to form associations in order to protect members from all forms of Gender- Based Violence, GBV and to attract assistance from government, NGOs and others.
Making the suggestion during a workshop held in Gboko, Benue State, lead presenter and human right lawyer, Justin Gbagir encouraged female sex workers not to feel shy in the cause of carrying out their business, insisting that since no known law has prohibited prostitution, practitioners should not be ashamed of their trade.
He argued that if prostitution is an offense the men who patronize women in the business should equally be punished but lamented that most at times law enforcement agencies only harass women leaving their customers who are men describing the scenario as injustice and a breach of human right.
Gbagir noted that because those in sex work business keep silent when they are unlawfully abused that is why such attitude has persisted, advocating stiffer penalties against offenders of such abuses arguing that once such people are subjected to punishment such as conviction, payment of fine or both, the attitude would minimized and urged victims not to remain silent when abused.
He further explained that those who suffer Gender- Based Violence such as rape, battering among others including female sex workers have the right to institute direct criminal process by reporting to the police whose responsibility is to make peace, adding that victims could also report such cases through their lawyers for adequate punishment to be melted to offenders to serve as deterrent to others.
Other referral pathways he identified victims could result to in times of violence to include; reporting to state ministry of women affairs, lawyers, pastors, friends, community leaders and service providers, healthcare workers among others, adding that survivors could equally file legal applications seeking restraining orders and encouraged those who suffer Gender-Based Violence including female sex workers also entitled to their rights to seek help instead of dying in silence.
Some female sex workers, FSWs who spoke during group discussions affirmed that the workshop has exposed them to knowledge of gender based violent related issues, what is their rights and when such fundamental rights are violated as well as what to do in pursuing justice and commended the organisers for the programme, describing it as educative and life changing exercise.
