-As Pro-poor bus-stop breeds dozens.
Underage sex workers at Pro-poor bus-stop in negotiations with male costumers.
Underage sex workers at Pro-poor bus-stop
By: Jerromie S. Walters
Womenvoices has reliably gathered that prostitution, a controversial act that involves the exchange of sexual services for money, is being practiced to the greatest extent mostly by teenagers at a famous spot that’s identified as “Pro-poor Bus stop”, behind the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), between Broad and Carey Streets in central Monrovia, Liberia.
An investigation conducted by this paper at the site (“Pro-poor Bus stop”) shows a massive number of teenagers, mainly between the ages of 13 to 17, who are also involved with the consumption of illegal substances.
They are often seen attracting men during late hours (Beginning 8PM) to provide sexual services for money, either at the local motel that is situated at the site, or at the individual’s home if they desire.
On a regular basis, the underage sex workers who according to sources continue to increase, informed our reporter that they charge $LRD500 for the service, while $LRD150 is charged for the motel room for a short period.
“All here la so so room, 150 for the place, the area is decent, la just short time, but you want enjoy yourself?, you bring good money?, you want feel yourself?, I will make you will enjoy yourself good, bring the money let me go pay for the area, don’t overlook me because you see me looking small,” one of the underage sex workers articulated.
For them, she said their price is affordable, due to the fact that people sometimes renege on doing business with them, considering that they are underage. “For me I’m very cheap, la 500, we very cheap here, it is not plenty money, we can be here until day break,” she further stated.
For different reasons, few of the young women partly reside at the famous spot while others only show up at night. “I’m 15, why you asking for my age?, I 15, but I’m not small oo because I’m not staying with my parents, and It’s not everyone that staying here, but for me I can say la here I living, but I don’t have any room for us to go to, so you can go pay for the motel, because I can pack my clothes to my friend place, that’s where I can take bath and change,” another one explained.
Though she resisted on stating why she left her parents’ home, the teenager acknowledged that she survives by money she generates from the service.
In another interaction, one of the underage sex workers admitted that the act is engulfed with several challenges, but it has never been reason (s) for her to quit because that’s all she thinks she can do at the moment.
“You came to do something or you just want know? October making me 15, so I used to the challenges inside it already. We are plenty here, ehn you see some of my friends under the tree? So don’t ask me about my age because if you hear their age I nathink you will do something, some people get small age with big body and some people get big age with small body,” she added.
Accordingly, it was also provided by some of the teenagers that they are often guided by other young women (Not teenagers) who also visit the site along with them to do their business.
Activist’s view
Mrs. Ne-suah Beyan Livingstone, an experienced and award winning women and child rights activist described the situation as alarming and worrisome.
According to her, it is taking away the value and dignity of young Liberian women, and requires swift remedy.
She attributes the worrisome act to the issues of poverty, abandonment, and child trafficking, which she recommended that government needs to strongly look into.
“We have to look into child trafficking, we have to seriously look into that issue, and that is a contributing factor to the alarming rate of child prostitution,” she recommended.
As disclosed by the women and child rights activist, too many individuals are involved in taking children from parts of the rural areas, with an initial promise to their parents to have them sent to school and live a better life in Monrovia.
However, it often becomes a different story upon their arrival in town, as they are often made to serve as breadwinners.
With this, she wants government assert more efforts to ensure that the issue of child trafficking is adequately addressed.
Drug consequences
During the late hours (12:00-1:00AM), scores of the underage sex workers, especially those that are residing on the street, are often seen in different parts of the areas either helplessly laying down, or sitting unconsciously.
This often happens after they have consumed some of the different substances that are also sold at the area. Other residents of the area also confirmed the overwhelming number of underage prostitutes that are seen in the area, and noted that they are often maltreated, especially after consuming other harmful substances.
“When you come here soon morning you will see them all under the tree, near that old house and other areas around here, small small children, I don’t ask them because sometimes if you ask them, they will misbehave on you so I don’t ask them,” a resident told our reporter.
Consequences of prostitution on teenagers
The consequences of prostitution on teenagers can be severe and long-lasting. It is important to recognize that involvement in prostitution at a young age is often a result of vulnerability, coercion, or exploitation.
Research has shown that teenagers engaged in prostitution are at a higher risk of experiencing physical and sexual violence, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), substance abuse, and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
It is also a known fact that Involvement in prostitution can disrupt a teenager’s education and personal development. This can lead to limited educational opportunities and potential long-term consequences for their future prospects.
Teenagers involved in prostitution are often targeted by traffickers who manipulate and control them. They may be subjected to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and find it difficult to escape from these exploitative situations.
Engaging in prostitution can lead to social stigma and isolation, as it is often viewed negatively by society. Teenagers involved in prostitution may face judgment, discrimination, and rejection from their peers, family, and community, which can exacerbate feelings of shame and low self-esteem.
From a social perspective, prostitution is often viewed as a form of exploitation and a violation of human rights. Many argue that it perpetuates gender inequality, as the majority of sex workers are women and girls.
Critics argue that prostitution is inherently harmful, as it can lead to physical and psychological abuse, sexually transmitted infections, and drug addiction. They advocate for the criminalization of prostitution in order to protect vulnerable individuals and discourage the demand for such services. On the other hand, there are those who argue for the decriminalization or legalization of prostitution.
They also believe that criminalizing prostitution only drives it underground, making it more dangerous for sex workers. By legalizing or decriminalizing prostitution, they believe that it can be regulated and controlled, ensuring the safety and well-being of sex workers.
Moreover, they’ve argued that it allows for the recognition of sex work as a legitimate profession, providing individuals with the ability to exercise agency and make informed choices about their own bodies and lives.
Economically, prostitution is seen as an industry that generates significant revenue. Some argue that legalizing and regulating prostitution can lead to economic benefits, such as tax revenue and job creation. However, others argue that the economic benefits are outweighed by the social costs associated with prostitution, such as increased crime rates and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
From a legal perspective, the laws surrounding prostitution vary widely across different countries and jurisdictions. Some countries have implemented a Nordic Model, which criminalizes the buyers of sex but decriminalizes the sellers. Others have chosen to fully legalize or decriminalize prostitution, while some still maintain a criminalized approach.
About Pro-poor Bus Stop
Pro-poor Bus stop is situated on a plot of land behind the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), between Broad and Carey Streets, Monrovia, Liberia.
The plot of land contains homes of several residents, an entertainment center (not involved with the prostitutes’ affair), but with a motel at the back (another building that’s owned by someone else), where the underage prostitutes and elderly sex workers use for quick transactions.
Pro-poor bus stop is famously known for hosting disadvantaged youths. The site is famous for the consumption and sale of harmful substances.
On July 13, 2021, hours after the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) conducted massive demolition at the site and other parts of Broad Street, aggrieved disadvantaged youths who termed the area as their home, declared the area No-go-zone, beginning 10:00 PM that night.
They expressed dissatisfaction regarding what they termed as “sudden demolition” by the MCC, and threatened awful actions if the government had refused to find remedy to the situation.
Prostitution in Liberia and globally
Prostitution is illegal in Liberia. In Liberia, the population of prostitutes according to unofficial records from the Gender Ministry is over 8,000.
The older prostitutes populations are in the neighborhood of 2, 800 to 3,100. These unconfirmed statistics are confined to Monrovia, Montserrado County; Kakata, Margibi County; Ganta, Sanniquellie, Nimba County, and Grand Bassa County.
UNICEF estimates that every year 1-2 million children under 18 are exploited sexually in prostitution. In Asia alone, the number comes close to 1 million. The number of children who work in prostitution is largest in India (400-500,000) and in Thailand (200,000)
According to USAID statistics on sex workers, there are about 42 million prostitutes around the world. 80 percent of the world population of prostitutes are female and range in age between 13-25.
