［20180412］《经济学人》论道－塞内加尔风俗业另辟新径

原文链接：

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2018/04/12/senegals-innovative-approach-to-prostitution

The Economist explains

《经济学人》论道

Senegal's innovative approach to prostitution

塞内加尔风俗业另辟新径

Its HIV prevalence rateis lower even than Washington, DC

该国艾滋病毒感染率比华盛顿特区还低

The Economist explains

Apr 12th 2018 byW.B. DAKAR

VIOLENCE against women, anti-prostitution laws and poor health-care systems all make sub-Saharan Africa an appalling place to be a sex worker. Criminalised by many African states and exploited by corrupt officials, many women are forced into the world of organised crime. Worse still, they have been at the forefront ofthe continent’s ongoing AIDS epidemic. One study in 2013 found that in 16 African countries, an average of 37% of sex workers were HIV positive. Yet one African country does things differently. Senegal is the only place in Africa where sex workers are regulated by the state. Identification cards confirm the women as sex workers and give them access to some free health care, condoms and education initiatives. Why is this small west African state so different?

对女性施暴、反卖淫法案以及不健全的医疗体制使撒哈拉以南的非洲地区让性从业者望而生畏。许多非洲国家判定性工作非法，腐败官员剥削性工作者，因此不少从业女性被迫进入有组织犯罪团伙。更糟糕的是她们一直身处非洲大陆艾滋流行病现状的风口浪尖。2013年的一项研究发现：在16个非洲国家，平均有37%的性工作者携带阳性艾滋病毒（HIV）。然而有一个非洲国家独树一帜：塞内加尔——非洲唯一一个性工作者受国家监管的地方。该国用身份证确认从业女性的性工作者身份，并为其提供一些免费医疗保健、避孕套和教育。为什么这个西非小国如此不同呢？

The Senegalese system has its roots inthe country’s colonial legacy. French legislation that regulated prostitution in order to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases was kept on the books after independence in 1960, when many other Francophonecountries dropped it. In the 1980s Senegal responded to the HIV epidemic sweeping across the continent by establishing a range of policies to counter the threat, and to target vulnerable populations. One measure involved revamping the regulationof sex work, which under the French had required sex workers to register with the authorities. The system was reinforced after the HIV epidemic and the authorities tried to get as many women as possible to sign up.

塞内加尔体制源于该国的被殖民历史。法国在其殖民国家为预防性传播疾病的蔓延对风俗业进行法律监管，很多非洲法语国家独立后即废除相关法律，但塞内加尔于1960年独立后仍将之保留在案。1980年代，塞内加尔制定了一系列对抗威胁的政策并瞄准弱势群体，用以回击彼时肆虐非洲大陆的艾滋流行病毒。其中一项措施是改善性工作法规，此前法国规定性工作者必须在当局机构登记。这套体制在当时的艾滋病疫情后得以强化，当局设法让尽可能多的从业女性登记在案。

Today, the law enshrinesa woman’s right to work in the sex trade if she is over 21. Health check-ups are mandatory every month a woman wants her sex worker identity card to stay valid (women found without one can be arrested or fined). If a sex worker contracts HIV, she will not have her license revoked completely, and so will not be forced underground. Such women are given free antiretroviral drugsthat decrease infectiousness and prolong life. Crucially, once they are on the treatmentthey are allowed to continue practising. The country’s different approach means that between 2002 and 2016 the prevalence of HIV among sex workers fell by 21 percentage points to an impressive 7%.

如今塞内加尔法律保护21岁以上女性从事性交易的权利。如果从业女性想要保证其性工作身份证的有效性，则有义务每月体检（一旦被发现没有相关证明会被逮捕或罚款）。如果一名性工作者感染上艾滋病毒，也不会被完全吊销执照，这样就不会被迫进入黑市；而是会拿到免费的抗反转录病毒药物，用以降低感染强度和延长生命。关键是一旦她们开始治疗，就可以继续执业。塞内加尔的另辟新径意味着该国在2002至2016年间，性工作者的艾滋病毒感染率降至令人吃惊的7％，降幅21%。

The system is far from perfect. Senegal’s regulated system is a long way from, say, Sweden’s decriminalised model. Many sex workers do not sign up to the initiative because they face discrimination and marginalisation. Many also fear that registration could count against them in future. NGOs say police officers often abuse their power, demanding sex and money from prostitutes. The fact that the system only caters forwomen is another flaw, with no apparent acknowledgement many sex workers are male. Nonetheless, in comparison withother African nations, Senegal’s system is impressive and has contributed to low HIV prevalence rate of 0.4%. The average in sub-Saharan Africa is 4.3%. In Washington, DC the rate is 1.9%.

当然该体制远非完美。比如相比于瑞典的除罪化模式，塞内加尔的监管体制还有很长的路要走。很多性工作者因为害怕受到歧视、被边缘化，不去当局登记；不少也担心登记在案会对自己的未来不利。非政府组织称该国警察经常滥用职权，强迫妓女性交并索要钱财。此外还有一个缺陷就是该体制只适用于女性，它没有明确承认不少男性从业者的事实。但较之非洲其它国家，塞内加尔的风俗业体制可圈可点，它让全国的艾滋病毒感染率低至0.4％，而撒哈拉以南的非洲地区平均为4.3％，华盛顿特区1.9％。

译注：

Antiretroviral抗反转录病毒药物：一类治疗逆转录病毒（主要是HIV）感染的药物。

Decriminalization除罪化、非刑事化

指将原本被刑法所处罚的行为变成刑法不处罚的行为。

一般而言，除罪化是经由修改法律、对法律加以解释或由法院停止适用某一法律而达成，由与刑法对于人民权益的侵害甚钜，因此部分不涉具体法意侵害的行为也常有除罪化的呼声。除罪化往往仅指免于国家施以的刑罚，不等于合法化，并不必代表免除全部的法律责任，就算除罪化，该行为通常还是必须面对民事的损害赔偿责任，或改用行政罚，特别在有惩罚性损害赔偿制度的国家，刑罚系通常是被高额的损害赔偿所取代。