Prostitution; An Avenue for Criminal Activities, the Case of Pokuase in Accra-Ghana

Commercial sex work and commercial sex workers face high level of discrimination and stigmatisation where ever they find themselves. The discrimination and stigmatization against commercial sex workers has made certain criminals and criminal acts to feed on commercial sex work and commercial sex joints to thrive. This research was conducted in Pokuase a suburb of the Ga North Municipality in Accra, Ghana. The objective of the researchers was to identify certain criminal activities that thrive or feed on commercial sex work or commercial sex joints. The researchers used qualitative research methodology involving interviews and focus group discussion to solicit for information or data. The information or data collected from the interviewees and focus group discussants were transcribed and organized into themes. The researcher found that certain criminal activities that thrive on commercial sex work and commercial sex joints include; quack medical service provisions, drug peddling, armed robbery, human and drug trafficking, organized pimping and extortion of money from commercial sex workers. The researchers concluded that, due to the criminalization of prostitution, many criminals have gotten involved in the entire commercial sex profession as a means of sustaining their criminal activities. Also, people who are engaged in legal businesses are now also using such businesses to commit crimes against these commercial sex workers since their profession is criminalized by the state and stigmatized by the public. The researchers finally recommended that the state must amend the laws criminalizing prostitution so that commercial sex workers can report some crimes and criminal acts that feed on their profession to the police. Also, religious bodies and non-governmental organisations must be involved in changing the perception, stigmatization and marginalization of commercial sex workers within the societies they find themselves.