The argument of the NGO has been that prostitutes are at a high risk of contracting HIV and developing Aids and that the solution to their marginalisation would be to legalise prostitution so that prostitutes could come out of the shadows and have access to condoms and counselling without fear of victimisation and arrest. The second line of argument that they have advanced is what has been termed the benefit excuse elsewhere. It has been argued that prostitution is beneficial to the prostitute and the society. The prostitute gets paid for selling her body; the society benefits from taxing whatever money she makes and exploiting her sexually. The end result being that both parties win. We believe that such a perception is flawed since in the final analysis everyone loses since the prostitute loses her dignity while the society loses its moral standing.
We wish to urge the government and the general public to reject, disregard and disassociate itself from the arguments of BONELA and other similar organisations because they are misleading since they disregard the belief systems, both cultural and religious, of Batswana. The laws of Botswana should be crafted in such a way that they protect the moral fibre of our society regardless of what is fashionable from elsewhere. If prostitution is made legal, the justice system would essentially condone the peddling of human flesh for profit. Our views on the subject of prostitution and homosexuality are influenced by our position on three issues: First, is our perception of the value and sanctity of the human body. We believe that the human body is intrinsically special and needs to be protected and treated with dignity.
