More than a quarter of the Mother City’s 250 street sex workers (28%) who have been arrested, were offered their freedom in exchange for sex with police officers, while 12% were raped by a police officer.

Furthermore, 63% were verbally abused by a police officer and 47% were threatened with physical violence by an officer of the law.

These shocking findings are revealed in a book, Selling Sex in Cape Town. The publication was distributed this month by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Sexworkers Education & Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat).

Sweat is a non-governmental organisation fighting for the rights of sex workers. The research was done between 2006 and 2008.

According to the book, there are at least 250 sex workers on Cape Town’s streets and about 960 in 103 brothels or private homes.

Only sex workers between 18 and 54 were questioned, and it was found that police were more tolerant towards sex workers in brothels.

Prostitution illegal

Meanwhile, Western Cape police said they could not comment on the research, but added that prostitution was illegal and guilty parties would be prosecuted.

Nicolé Fick, a Sweat researcher who worked on the book, said sex workers only wanted to be treated with decency when they were arrested. They usually pay fines from between R50 and R500.

“The moment they speak out about police treatment, they are victimised. That is why they no longer want to lay complaints against the police, but bring them to our offices. The police are their biggest fear.”