MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE CENTRE AGAINST SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, SOUTH AFRICA: 20 SEPTEMBER 2022

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SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA HOSTS HISTORIC SUMMIT ON ENDING SEXUAL EXPLOITATION ON AFRICAN CONTENT

The Centre Against Sexual Exploitation, South Africa (CASE-SA) is participating in a historic Summit on ending sexual abuse and exploitation on the African continent. The 2022 Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation (CESE) Africa Summit is being hosted at the University of South Africa’s main campus in Pretoria, South Africa from 20 to 22 September 2022. The Summit is set to draw together a diverse and influential group of local and international experts who will be share their knowledge and experiences to address sexual abuse and exploitation.

According to CASE-SA, the Summit cannot come at a more critical and opportune time. As the Department of Justice set to reform South African prostitution policy and law, there is an urgent need to get real about the fact that prostitution is sexual exploitation and a gross violation of human dignity. As a compassionate society based on human rights and freedoms, including dignity and equality, South Africans need to ask what legal response is best able to protect and vindicate prostituted persons’ human rights.

On 20 September, CASE-SA will participate in a session dedicated to examining important issues around prostitution. CASE-SA’s speakers will give presentations on:

• Prostitution, law reform case study – South Africa: past, present and future
• Human rights and public policy case for reforming prostitution laws in Africa
• The legal status of prostitution: implications for pornography, prostitution and sex trafficking

CASE-SA is excited and humbled to be part of this great collaborative effort – to have the opportunity to work together with key role players such as the International Centre on Sexual Exploitation (ICOSE) and the local Youth Research Unit (YRU) of the Bureau of Market Research (BMR) – to help end the scourge of sexual exploitation in Africa.

Apart from prostitution, other important issues which will receive attention at the Summit, are:

• Online sexual exploitation and pornography
• Sex trafficking
• Child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Protections and empowerment of vulnerable groups

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CASE-SA and the Collective Against Sexual Exploitation, South Africa (of which CASE-SA is a founding member) are adamant that fully decriminalising prostitution is simply NOT an option – and is urging compassionate members of the public to sign its petition to stop the legalising of sexual exploitation in South Africa.

According to CASE-SA, it is appalling that the system prostitution continues to exist and continues to turn human beings – especially women – into merchandise in a system of servitude built on racism, class prejudice and gender inequality. It sees only one solution to stop the abuse and exploitation experienced by prostituted persons: abolishing the entire system of prostitution. The 2022 CESE Africa Summit is a golden opportunity to ventilate these important issues.

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CASE-SA is committed to the creation of a world free from pornography and sexual exploitation, where everyone’s inherent dignity is respected and protected.

[NOTE]

The University of South Africa is live streaming the Summit on its YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOA3PUUYgf8

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For further enquiries, contact CASE-SA at:

Email:    info@case-sa.org  

Tel:        074 355 0775