Prostitutes Accuse Policemen Of Raping Them Without Protection

Prostitutes in Nigeria have accused police of raiding, harassing and raping them without protection, The Will reports.

Professional prostitutes in Nigeria under the Ohotu Diamond Women Initiative have cried out and accused the country’s police of forcefully sleeping with them without protection.

This, according to the prostitutes, is among the ill-treatment meted out on them each time they are raided by the law enforcement agents.

The prostitutes made the allegation through the Ohotu Diamond Women Initiative (ODWI), a community network for prostitutes and called for help from the authorities.

In a statement the organisation sent out, the prostitutes disclosed that they have now become endangered species and target of randy policemen.

They said the policemen constantly harass them, raid them and rape them without protecting themselves.

“S3x workers deserve the basic respect and protection from violence that each nation owes its citizens. But in many settings, police abuse of sex workers receives scant public attention despite its entrenched global reality.

“Many of us face violence and discrimination on a regular basis. Regardless of which state or tribe we are from, many of us have experienced being raped, verbally, emotionally and physically abused by police, clients and community members.

“There is an unfair discrimination from service providers.

“S3x workers are not protected or defended by the law when they are exploited and abused. We demand that these violations stop immediately and decisive action taken against perpetrators.

“Time without number, the policemen break our doors to start packing us like goats to the station.

“If you don’t have money to bail yourself, they will say they want to sleep with you unprotected which is very bad.

“As a woman in the brothel, we protect ourselves, we use condoms, but with the policemen, you don’t have a say,”the statement said.

S3x workers are often harassed by law enforcement agents in Nigeria with the fortunate ones charged to court. Some of  them have also had cause to narrate  shocking experiences while in the trade.