Police criticised for not fighting child prostitution

Jul 04, 2016

Majority of the sex workers are at risk of contracting the deadly HIV/AIDS virus

Moses Bikala

The rising number of child prostitutes operating on the streets of Bugiri has been blamed on the reluctance of police to take action against men found to be buying them.

Currently there are over 600 child prostitutes operating in the busy trading centres of Naluwerere, Busowa and Idudi.

The Bugiri Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)  George William Omuge while speaking during the belated World  Day against Child Labour held at Hindocha Primary School playground on Sunday said majority of the child prostitutes are lured into the vice by their peers with a hope of earning huge sums of money from peddling sex to long distance truckers.

He said police has failed to take action against men who frequently buy the child prostitutes yet its illegal.

Omuge said majority of the sex workers are at risk of contracting the deadly HIV/AIDS virus because they normally engage in risky sexual behaviours like having unprotected sex with the truckers.

He said there have been reports of children below the age of 18 being employed to work as casual labourers in gold mines at Bude and involvement in selling of roasted maize and pancakes in busy trading centres.

Omuge said employing minors is an offense punishable by courts of law and cautioned people against it to avoid the repercussions.

The deputy country director World Education, Elton Babu said the organization is compiling a report about the number of child prostitutes operating in the district as a way of seeking a solution to the problem.

He said some of the children are lured to join the illicit business by their parents with a hope of supplementing their house hold income.

The labour officer Bugiri, Isaac Mweru said they have on several occasions tried to sensitize parents about the dangers of encouraging their children join the illicit business of prostitution in vain.

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