Perspektiewe van beleidmakers en -toepassers oor die wettiging van prostitusie

Abstract

English: Changes in any socio-political system often bring changes in legislation, especially where the debate leans heavily towards moral issues, as is the case with legislation in South Africa concerning abortion. Prostitution falls in the same category, causing considerable conflicting opinions amongst policy makers and implementers. Legislation against prostitution still appear in South African codes of law. However, the entrepreneurs of prostitution see this as a very profitable business, the client of the prostitute depends on his individual rights to engage in the activity of his choice, and the prostitute only wants to do her work. The ongoing debate on the decriminalisation of prostitution spans a variety of aspects about prostitution. Aspects like human rights, the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases, and the principle of morality were all issues of prominence at different times. These arguments are discussed here, as well as perspectives obtained from the literature study on legislation in different countries, the criminality of prostitution, and the sexuality of the prostitute. From the insights gained from the literature study, an empirical investigation was undertaken to get perspectives of policy makers and policy implementers. From these, the conclusion is reached that prostitution is a complex phenomena, that consensus regarding legal policy may not be reached and no easy solution is imminent. A factor that may influence legislation is the increasing emphasis on the responsibility of communities in the process of regulating prostitution. The conclusion drawn is that prostitution should be decriminalised but that more stringent regulatory measures should be implemented.

Afrikaans: 'n Veranderende sosio-politieke staatsbestel beteken heel dikwels verandering in wetgewing oor sommige morele kwessies, soos prostitusie, en ook aborsie. Wetgewing oor prostitusie is 'n aspek waaroor rolspelers soos beleidmakers en -toepassers al in die verlede verskil het. Volgens Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing is prostitusie 'n misdaad, hoewel die entrepreneurs van prostitusie, soos souteneurs en eienaars van gesellinklubs, prostitusie as 'n bron van inkomste beskou. Die prostitute self beskou dit as hulle reg om prostitusie te bedryf, en die klient wil ook van die reg op vrye keuse van aktiwiteit gebruik maak om die prostitutuut te besoek. Die voortslepende debat oor die dekriminalisering van prostitusie kan 'n verskeidenheid van faktore en aspekte rakende prostitusie oorspan. Aspekte soos menseregte, die moontlikheid van sekskueel-oordraagbare siektes, en die moraliteitsbeginsel word deur verskillende partye in die debat betrek, en bespreek. Hierdie argumente word aangevul met perspektiewe op wetgewing in verskillende lande, die kriminaliteit van prostitusie, en ook die seksualiteit van die prostituut. In die lig van bevindings soos blyk uit die literatuurstudie wat hierdie kwessies uitlig, is 'n empiriese ondersoek gedoen om die menings van beleidmakers en -toepassers te toets. Uit hierdie menings kom die ingewikkelde aard van die debat na vore en is dit duidelik dat konsensus oor die beleid nie haalbaar is nie, en 'n maklike oplossing is ook nie voor die hand liggend nie. Perspektiewe wat telkens vanaf navorsingsdeelnemers na vore kom, is die belangrike bydrae van gemeenskappe om verantwoordelikheid vir regulering te aanvaar. Die gevolgtrekking wat uit beide die literatuurstudie en die empiriese ondersoek blyk, is dat prostitusie gedekriminaliseer, maar verskerpte regulatoriese maatreels, geimplementeer word.