MONROVIA-Liberia’s intercourse business is witnessing dramatic evolution in current occasions in gentle of the rising involvement of males within the prostitution sector initially dominated by women.
Unlawful ‘hobojo’ or gigolo (prostitution work) has spanned a long time as ladies’s sport, however the state of affairs appeared to have taken a upward development, as males are starting to take middle stage, competing with the women.
A New Republic investigation has found that some males have joined the fray, saturating many intertainment facilities in and round Monrovia in the hunt for ‘intercourse for pay work,’ a scenario women are livid over.
Some handsome-looking younger boys have been just lately observed at an intertainment middle scouting for feminine they’d cusp and negotiate with for “intercourse for money.”
“For this, I feel it’s good than to go and steal,” one younger man, who solely recognized himself as Tom informed this reporter final week in Paynesville.
In line with our reporter who acted like a buyer, the disclosure was made throughout an interplay with a feminine hustler, solely most well-liked to be referred to as RB to cowl her actual identification.
“We have been a bunch of women that went to have drink to View level,” she mentioned. “Whereas sitting down, one superb boy walked to me and mentioned; huge sis.” Requested if she had gotten a buyer, she answered within the damaging. “I mentioned No. Then he mentioned, however I’m right here. My worth isn’t excessive. Ten {dollars} for brief time and to sleep, you solely give me 20usd. I’ll service you good.”
“I used to be shocked. I informed him I’m not ,” mentioned RB, who was contacted. Nevertheless, few younger males requested to confirm and make sure the data at some amusement facilities, responded within the affirmative.
One in every of them mentioned when quizzed, “However you can’t see in Gambia. They’ve social teams (for males) that girls can go to. They’ll pay them to ‘work’ for them.”
He additional mentioned justifying their involvement within the apply deemed uncharacteristic to Liberia’s social norms. “So, why we can’t do the identical right here. A few of us are excellent. We would not have cash to offer to them, however now we have power,” he mentioned, including: “ For me, once I carry out on one particular person an evening, she is going to all the time name me.”
As well as, one other buddy jumped into the dialogue saying, “however papay, a few of us right here simply losing. I pray sooner or later so I can journey to America or Europe. That so, so, of this I will probably be on so I can get cash. However we all know how a few of these ladies can get the cash?”
Although the 2 of them refused to determine themselves, nevertheless, one other gentleman who recognized himself as Andrew mentioned they’re making an attempt to see the chance to kind a social group which is able to solely be devoted in direction of getting women who need their providers.
Requested in the event that they know that their actions can result in arrest, he mentioned: “who will know earlier than they may arrest me? That enterprise. I ask you and also you agree, we go for me to carry out on you. Da you’ll go inform police or me that I doing hobojo work?”
“Have you learnt that there are some ladies on this city who want good individuals like us? One in every of our mates was fortunate few months in the past to get one woman from the States as a result of he did properly. Right this moment, she took the boy and they’re residing collectively.”
One in every of them, Rufus, mentioned, “they don’t go round different ladies who’re in search of for related work.
“We are able to search for good ladies who’re vising the nation. Generally, we are able to look for them . papay, once you see uptown Ju, they’re completely different from our native individuals. However there are some good native ones who can settle for us.”
Requested how a lot they will make per night time, he mentioned: “generally, I can get US$30.00 or 20. However it is a new enterprise so it can take time for individuals to know us. However as time goes on, the identical individuals, we are going to work for, they may inform a few of their mates who will want us.”
Nevertheless, ladies are detesting their actions as unacceptable and embarrassing. One woman across the Somalia Drive space informed our reporter that it’s solely lazy males who try this, stressing, “They only lazy and do not need to assist anybody.”
“As an alternative of them serving to us, they need us to offer them cash. They are going to keep lengthy inside it. Me, I cannot give them rock,” she added.
The unfolding scenario hovering the gigolo market solely indicators the downward spiraling of the social sector already rocked by medicine and substance abuse, all of that are spurred by financial inequality and monetary hardship.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been within the career for over twenty years. He has labored for a lot of worldwide media shops together with: West Africa Journal, Africa Week Journal, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Occasions, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He’s the present correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in Worldwide Relations and a candidate for second grasp in Worldwide Peace research and Battle Decision from the College of Liberia.
