Desperate Somalis Turn to Prostitution In Yemen

[Peacenow]

ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) - Somali refugee Saada hates what she does but can see no other way to feed her six children -- working as a prostitute in the southern Yemeni city of Aden.

 

"My life is rubbish, but what can I do? I have to work and make some money," said the woman in her 30s, sitting with other Somali women in Aden's Basateen slum district.

 

Like many others, Saada fled to Yemen to escape the chaos, clan warfare and famine that has plagued Somalia since warlords toppled President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 -- only to face another struggle for survival in impoverished Yemen.

 

She has spent 10 months in Yemen living on U.N. handouts and turned to prostitution eight weeks ago to send money to the relatives at home who are looking after her children.

 

Saada gets no money from her first husband, who divorced her and went to work in Saudi Arabia. Her second husband was badly wounded in fighting in the anarchic Somali capital Mogadishu.

 

"So now I am on my own," she said.

 

Yemen hosts 171,000 registered refugees, mostly Somalis, according to UNHCR figures for December, up from 140,300 a year earlier. Many more unregistered Somalis are thought to roam there, most of them hoping to move to richer Gulf countries.

 

The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR helps Somalis on arrival, but many in Basateen say they struggle to make ends meet.

 

Alysia, another divorced Somali woman driven into prostitution, said she had paid smugglers to take her on the perilous voyage across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. "I have to take care of my son. I have to buy him milk," she said.

 

The port city of Aden has a more freewheeling atmosphere than elsewhere in Yemen, a conservative Muslim society.

 

While alcohol is hard to come by in the capital Sanaa, a few restaurants and beach clubs serve drinks in Aden, luring some weekend tourists from austere Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia.

 

In Aden's Tawahi seaside district, prostitutes work in cheap hotels or clubs which have adjacent "motels."

 

"The main reason for prostitution is poverty, the unemployment of refugees," said Alawiya Omar at the Italian aid organisation Intersource, which is working in Basateen, home to about 40,000 Somalis and Yemenis with Somali ties.

 

Together with UNHCR, the group helps victims of domestic and sexual violence and tries to educate refugees about the dangers of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

 

"Awareness of the dangers of getting infections is not high," said Halima, a Somali woman who helps provide health care for prostitutes and advises them about safer sex.

 

"There are courses for the women, but many don't bother to show up even if they get some money or free food on that day," she said, sitting in a makeshift house where she lives with her husband, other families and some livestock -- all crammed together with flies buzzing around.

 

"My life is a mess. Sometimes men don't pay me. I would do anything else but what?" asked Najma, 34, another Somali sex worker.

 

(Editing by Alistair Lyon and Janet Lawrence)

 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/02/10/world/international-uk-yemen-somalis-prostitution.html

[LayZie G.]

She would do anything else but....what exactly can she do?

 

Are people reading about the suffering of these women, whose homes were raided by faithheads and drove them directly to prostitution, away from their family and friends and into the arms of a dirty arab?

 

Do you think these poor women care whether they live or die, for as long as their children are provided for? It is clear, the situation in yemen is a one of many tragedies. Somali refugees are scattered between afgooye and Kenya and no one is speaking for them, no one Muslim is outraged on their behalf, instead, our energy is channelled on words on a screen, sufferings of palestinians, historical interpretations that cyber nomads write instead of being angry with ourselves for having things these poor souls can only pray to have for even a minute.

 

Are these women not religious enough for you? Do they not deserve a voice to speak on their behalf?

 

I'm disgusted with you all, really, I am.

[Peacenow]

It's terribly sad isn't it. We are at out worst moment and we really need a strong leader to change things.

[General Duke]

^^^Peacenow, is prostitution a new thing ? And how will a strong leader stop this trade?

[Peacenow]

What we need is a strong leader to Ataturk to emerge and fundamentally change the country. I'm more convinced of that than ever. One has to emerge and group our scattered beings back and rebuilt the country.

 

There are Somali refugees in Nepal and in airports all over the world as of now. I was recently in Bangkok and I met a young Somali man in the airport. He had no money and no where to go, he was just moving between the terminals and drinking coffee.

[Ibtisam]

And you are doing what for them?? :confused: Aside from mouthing off in a forum that is. Really, sadness, outrage and disgust isn’t going to get them barris or get them out of prostitution. But I guess it makes you feel better.

 

There are lots of dedicated people speaking for them, working and helping them, they could use more people and resources, and also getting ride of all those who claim to speak for them but really just use them to get funds. Nevertheless regardless of the help available the situation is always going to be bad in camps and particularly for illegal aliens.

 

It is not only Yemen, refugees in the “civilized West” also face challenges, particularly lone women travelers and the conditions of some of the camps, particularly in places like Malta is horrendous.

 

PeaceNow, nice to see that aside from your usual name calling, your sharing the shame and have empathy today.

 

As for what else can they do; interestingly enough there was a BBC documentary on the Somalis in Yemen and many were doing things like carrying shopping, washing cars, clothes, shinning shoes and housework. It is interesting that in this report (unless it is yet again another fabricated one) all the women are older, previously married, have external pressures (from Somalia). So this trade attracts certain age range who probably psychologically at least given up on having a normal life, which makes it an alternative rather than compulsion.

[General Duke]

Your silly airport stories aside, has Attaturk stopped prostitution even in Turkey?

As for Somalia, its going through the worst period in its history. Remember only 50 years ago some world powers use to term China, as the sick man of Asia and now look where it is. There is no panacea, no magic pill, Somalia shall rise insha Allah..

 

Also for a self described enlightened Somali, your reliance on a single individual to lead us to the promise land is baffling.

 

You present no solutions, lets here of these lad, and stop the fake crocodile tears.

[Peacenow]

What makes you think it is 'Crocodile Tears' I can no more make any output than to be attacked for it. That is simply out of mack. You are saying that a country can improve without strong leadership. You mention China but is it not one of strong leadership. Or to Rwanda or Singapore. Tell me of your conclusion. And one that is not attacking of me.

[NGONGE]

Originally posted by Peacenow:

I was recently in Bangkok and I met a young Somali man in the airport. He had no money and no where to go, he was just moving between the terminals and drinking coffee.

Brilliant.

 

Are you sure it was coffee? Airport coffee is very expensive you know. Maybe it was water in a cup.

[STOIC]

^ I hope being the "sensitive" and "understanding" Somali person he is Peacenow at least paid around of coffee and donuts for the poor guy......The guy might have made friends with some of the people who work in the airport.He would eventually find an attractive flight attendant who will pay for his morning coffee....the Terminal movie comes in mind

[General Duke]

Peacenow, adeer no one attacked you, you seem to get upset when you are challenged to explain yourself. Somalia is not unique and is going through what many nations have gone through, its in transition, and while some of its problems are no doubt self inflicted much has been engineered by outsiders, notably the West. No adeer China did not come through a strong leadership, and Mao leadership cost the lives of millions of poor Chinese. Thus again lad, in your opinion what is it that we need as a people?,think before you get angry and utter meaniningless waffle.

 

PS: If you want to help the Somali’s, start with not insulting them or highlighting only the negative aspect of their current existence.

[LayZie G.]

So this trade attracts certain age range who probably psychologically at least given up on having a normal life, which makes it an alternative rather than compulsion.

Ibti, are you hearing yourself? YOu can't be serious, unless ofcourse you are looking to get a rise out of people.

 

Aad iyo aad ayaa naagaha baahan ugu afgaftay and only someone whose belly is fool talks the way you are talking about these women.

 

They did not choose the job, the job chose them because of their circumstances.

 

What would you have a mother of 3 do in yemen, who doesnt have tol in diaspora to support her and her children? She cant get a job? The government cant provide for their people much less refugees...so, the only other think she can do is Beg? She is doing that already. She is begging men to sleep with her so that her child doesnt go hungry and have enough to buy milk and bread and put a roof over their heads. What more do you have them do? YOu want her to kill herself out of shame? I'm positive the thought has crossed her mind but she cant bring herself to do it because her children will be left alone to starve to death...so what would you have her do? Put her in a category and say if she is a certain age, she is whoring herself because she wants to because she has given hope, so let her whore herself, because Ibti feels that there is more these women can do...you dont think Naag somali eh, oo Muslim eh thought about the alternatives? You dont give our women much credit but you are the first to champion an arab's right to wear Burka...

 

I say take your words back for Allah is witness to your cruelty...your idea of showing compassion is only limited to the suffering of the Muslims in the middle east... Take back your words or tan mar maalintaan aheyn baad illaah ugu jawaabeysaa....

[B]

Really terrible. Why is the NYT writing this horrible stuff about Somali people. Somalis have become a target for the media and people are attacking them as a result.

[General Duke]

^^^What does not kill you makes you stronger... The west is helping us change for the better, like the many people of colour who were insulted and attacked for their percieved weakness.

 

Dont worry lad.

[Ibtisam]

Originally posted by LayZie G.:

quote:So this trade attracts certain age range who probably psychologically at least given up on having a normal life, which makes it an alternative rather than compulsion.

Ibti, are you hearing yourself? YOu can't be serious, unless ofcourse you are looking to get a rise out of people.

 

Aad iyo aad ayaa naagaha baahan ugu afgaftay and only someone whose belly is fool talks the way you are talking about these women.

 

They did not choose the job, the job chose them because of their circumstances.

 

What would you have a mother of 3 do in yemen, who doesnt have tol in diaspora to support her and her children? She cant get a job? The government cant provide for their people much less refugees...so, the only other think she can do is Beg? She is doing that already. She is begging men to sleep with her so that her child doesnt go hungry and have enough to buy milk and bread and put a roof over their heads. What more do you have them do? YOu want her to kill herself out of shame? I'm positive the thought has crossed her mind but she cant bring herself to do it because her children will be left alone to starve to death...so what would you have her do? Put her in a category and say if she is a certain age, she is whoring herself because she wants to because she has given hope, so let her whore herself, because Ibti feels that there is more these women can do...you dont think Naag somali eh, oo Muslim eh thought about the alternatives? You dont give our women much credit but you are the first to champion an arab's right to wear Burka...

 

I say take your words back for Allah is witness to your cruelty...your idea of showing compassion is only limited to the suffering of the Muslims in the middle east... Take back your words or tan mar maalintaan aheyn baad illaah ugu jawaabeysaa....

Seems like your emotions are running away with you today lazy. Hold your horses, I'm sure you'll need them for something else.

 

Go back and read what I wrote instead of looking for key words.

 

Observing something interesting in a supposed research is normal and advised. Categorizing them or noticing patterns only means we look at things from different perspective.

 

You read this and though Oh my god this poor women, damn these Somalis who chased them out of their homes, and this Arabs and our useless leaders and Somalis in the Diaspora who are not doing enough. Whereas I read it and thought, I wonder how wide spread this is? What percentage of the Somali women there, how long does the average one stay in this trade, is it self prostitution or do they have PIMPS who beat and rip them off. Does it involve young people, what age range. Looking at the females they interviewed it would appear it is women, new arrivals, with children/dependents over the age of 30, I would then progress into why them etc.

 

Allah knows my intentions and I hope my meeting with him will be good. :cool: