Prostitution In Angola: A Legal Or Criminal Act?

Prostitution in Angola has been illegal since the 1990s, but prohibition is not consistently enforced. There were an estimated 33,000 sex workers in the country in 2013, many of whom are women driven to prostitution by poverty. Angola is also a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor.

Is prostitution prevalent in Angola?

Prostitution in Angola is illegal but prevalent, with the prohibition not consistently enforced. It has been reported that there are about 33,000 sex workers in the country, with many women driven to prostitution due to poverty. In some cases, girls as young as 12 are selling sex to feed their families.

Prostitution has been prevalent in Angola since the 1990s and increased at the end of the civil war in 2001. It is widespread in the oil-rich Cabinda Province, where many foreign nationals work, and in diamond mining areas. Women from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo cross the porous border to work as prostitutes in Angola.

Angola has a large HIV/AIDS-infected population, and sex workers are a high-risk group. In 2016, UNAIDS reported a 4.7% prevalence of HIV among sex workers, compared to 1.9% in the general adult population. The reluctance to use condoms and the lack of access to health services for illegal sex workers are contributing factors to the spread of STIs.

Human trafficking is also a significant issue in Angola, with domestic and foreign victims exploited by traffickers. Angolan girls as young as 13 are victims of sex trafficking, and the country is ranked as a "Tier 2 Watch List" country by the US State Department.

What are the reasons for prostitution in Angola?

Prostitution in Angola has been illegal and prevalent since the 1990s. However, prohibition is not consistently enforced. There are several reasons for the existence of prostitution in Angola, and these are explored in the following paragraphs.

Poverty is a significant factor contributing to prostitution in Angola. Many women, including those from Namibia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Congo, enter the country illegally and engage in prostitution due to economic hardships. The oil-rich Cabinda Province, diamond mining areas, and towns like Ondjiva, Lubango, and Luanda are known for their high prevalence of prostitution. Additionally, the country's large population of undocumented migrants, particularly from neighbouring countries, contributes to the prevalence of prostitution.

Another reason for prostitution in Angola is the demand from foreign nationals, including Americans, in the oil-rich regions and diamond mining camps. The presence of foreign workers and the promise of higher salaries have led to an increase in prostitution, with Chinese prostitutes being in high demand among Chinese labourers.

Human trafficking is also a factor in the prostitution landscape of Angola. Traffickers exploit both Angolan citizens and foreign nationals, including women from Brazil, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, and Vietnam. Angolan girls as young as 13 fall victim to sex trafficking within the country and are exploited in other countries as well.

Natural disasters, such as droughts and flooding, have also played a role in pushing young girls into prostitution. During the 2020 drought crisis in southern Angola, girls as young as 12 years old resorted to selling sex to feed themselves and their families. The situation was exacerbated by the low prices they received, sometimes as little as 40 cents, due to the economic chaos and high food prices caused by the drought.

Is prostitution illegal in Angola?

Prostitution is illegal in Angola, but the prohibition is not consistently enforced. All forms of prostitution, including child prostitution, are illegal. However, the police do not actively enforce laws against prostitution, and local NGOs have expressed concern over child prostitution, especially in Luanda, Benguela, and Cunene provinces.

Prostitution has been prevalent in Angola since the 1990s, and it further increased at the end of the civil war in 2001. Many women engage in prostitution due to poverty, and it was estimated in 2013 that there were about 33,000 sex workers in the country. Prostitution is widespread in the oil-rich Cabinda Province and diamond mining areas, where many foreign nationals work.

Angola is also a source and destination country for human trafficking, with women and children being subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Angolan girls as young as 13 years old are victims of sex trafficking, and Angolan adults use children younger than 12 for forced criminal activities as they cannot be criminally prosecuted. The provinces of Luanda, Benguela, and the border provinces of Cunene, Namibe, Uige, and Zaire are the most vulnerable to trafficking activities.

What are the laws against prostitution in Angola?

Prostitution in Angola is illegal and has been prevalent since the 1990s. However, prohibition is not consistently enforced.

All forms of prostitution, including child prostitution, are illegal. While police did not actively enforce laws against prostitution, local NGOs expressed concern over child prostitution, especially in Luanda, Benguela, and Cunene provinces.

Angola is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Angolans, including minors, endure forced labor in the brick-making, domestic service, construction, agricultural, and artisanal diamond mining sectors within the country.

The 2014 Law on the Criminalization of Infractions Surrounding Money Laundering criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Article 18 criminalized slavery and servitude, as well as the buying and selling of children under 14 years of age for adoption or slavery, with a penalty of seven to 15 years' imprisonment. Article 19 criminalized the trafficking of adults and children for sexual exploitation, forced labor, or organ trafficking and prescribed penalties of eight to 12 years' imprisonment. Article 20 criminalized enticing or forcing a person to practice prostitution in a foreign country, with a penalty of two to 10 years' imprisonment. Article 21 criminalized pimping using force, fraud, or coercion of adults and prescribed penalties of one to six years' imprisonment. Article 22 criminalized "pimping of minors" under the age of 18 and prescribed penalties of two to 10 years' imprisonment. If force, fraud, or coercion was used, or the child was less than 14 years old, the penalties were increased to five to 12 years' imprisonment.

Angola has also established laws to protect victims of human trafficking. The government increased funding across the national budget, including creating a separate line item for anti-trafficking activities. The government continued to distribute and use anti-trafficking manuals for law enforcement and civil society on the proactive identification of victims, which included procedures and best practices for interviewing potential victims, screening vulnerable groups, assessing risk, referring victims to protective services, and victim-centered protection guidelines.

How does prostitution in Angola contribute to human trafficking?

Prostitution in Angola is illegal but prevalent, especially since the end of the civil war in 2001. The prohibition is not consistently enforced, and many women engage in prostitution due to poverty. It is estimated that there were about 33,000 sex workers in the country in 2013.

Angola has a large HIV/AIDS-infected population, and sex workers are a high-risk group. UNAIDS reported a 4.7% prevalence among sex workers in 2016, compared to 1.9% in the general adult population. The reluctance to use condoms and the lack of access to health services for many sex workers contribute to the spread of STIs and HIV.

Human traffickers exploit both domestic and foreign victims in Angola, and traffickers also exploit Angolan victims abroad. Traffickers exploit Angolan women and children in sex trafficking in South Africa, Namibia, and European countries, including the Netherlands and Portugal. Angolan girls as young as 13 years old are victims of sex trafficking within the country, and Angolan adults use children younger than 12 for forced criminal activity as they cannot be criminally prosecuted. The provinces of Luanda, Benguela, and the border provinces of Cunene, Lunda Norte, Namibe, Uige, and Zaire are the most high-threat areas for trafficking activities.

Women from Brazil, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, and Vietnam who engage in prostitution in Angola may be victims of sex trafficking. Undocumented Congolese migrants, including children, enter Angola to work in diamond-mining districts, where they are vulnerable to sex trafficking in mining camps. Trafficking networks recruit and transport Congolese girls as young as 12 from Kasai Occidental in the Congo to Angola for sex trafficking.

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