Sisters In Arm Abuja prostitutes form association

Commercial sex workers » plying their trades
in Abuja and surrounding environs like
Nasarawa and Niger States have decided to
come together and form an association to press
for the legalisation of their profession » so as
to resist any form of harassment for
authorities and indivuals.
The leader of the body which goes by the name
Commercial Sex Workers Association of
Nigeria, CSWAN, who calls herself Lady Gaga,
says the formation of the association is for the
prostitutes to come together and fight for the
rights to carry out their trade and that they
are prepared to do anything within the ambit
of the law to protect their means of livelihood.
"Why will people leave their problems and focus
on other people who are struggling for survival?
If we chose to use what we have to get what we
want, is it anybody’s business?"
According to her, the association will liaise
with relevant organisations to provide
insurance and health scheme for all registered
members.
She also added that the group will provide the
means for members who might want to acquire
additional skills, as well as guide them and
ensure that all forms of stigmatisation and ill
treatment against their profession were
eliminated.
Lady Gaga is of the view that sex work is like
any other profession that people go into to eke
a living and wondered why people would chose
to look at sex workers as those engaging in
illegal thing.
Lady Gaga further said that prostitutes in the
Federal Capital Territory were operating
without any form of harassment until the
emergence of Nasir el-Rufia, the former
Minister of the FCT who demolished most of
the suburbs and also placed unnecessary
restrictions on them.