Legalising sex workers during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World CupTM in South Africa

Abstract

The eagerly anticipated 2010 FIFA Soccer World CupTM, which takes place in South Africa, brings along a variety of challenges and issues which have prompted the attention of the public as well as decision-makers. An issue that is currently being debated in many quarters is the legalisation of sex workers. It is anticipated that as a result of the 2010 World CupTM, tourism in South Africa will increase, bringing along with it a corresponding interest in the sex industry. There have been several calls from various quarters to legalise sex work for the 2010 World CupTM. There has also been a corresponding opposition to these calls. The purpose of this studywas to explore public perceptions towards the legalisation of sex workers during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World CupTM in South Africa. A qualitative research methodology was adopted for the study. Twelve semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of participants to elicit their perceptions regarding the legalisation of sex workers for the 2010 Soccer World CupTM. Care was taken to ensure that the sample was racially diverse. The underlying themes that emerged from the in-depth interviews were child prostitution, trafficking, family relationships, health, morals and values of society, substance abuse, exploitation and management. The study identified many issues that need to be considered before embarking on the exercise to legalise sex work. It is essential that the government look at the broader picture and learn from lessons from other countries where prostitution has been legalised. Various measures and structures have to be put in place to address issues such as trafficking, exploitation, drug abuse and trafficking, child prostitution, pornography and the spread of sexually transmitteddiseases.