An Investigation into the World of Prostitution in Burundi

Cedric Soledad Urakeza from Burundi reports on his investigation into the world of  prostitution in Bujumbura [fr], published on the community blog Les voix du Burundi:     

Notre enquête montre trois catégories de prostituées. Il y a celles filles qui viennent de l’intérieur du pays pour chercher du travail domestique à Bujumbura. Lorsqu’ elles ne s’en sortent pas, elles trouvent refuge dans les différents quartiers populaires et souvent finissent sur le trottoir.
Une autre catégorie de filles est issue des familles vivant des situations familiales compliquées : divorce, pauvreté, veuvage, mésentente entre les parents et les enfants… La plupart de ces jeunes filles justifient leur comportement : payer les études, fuir la tension familiale.
Enfin, la dernière catégorie est celle de jeunes filles des familles plutôt aisées. Elles aiment faire la fête, ‘Ikirori’ comme elles disent, fréquentent de bons restaurants, mettent de beaux habits. Elle disent « profiter du moment présent » et adorent une vie de haut standing et de liberté en trompant la surveillance des parents. 

Our report shows that there are three main categories of person who engage in prostitution in Bujumbura. There are girls who come from the countryside in search of domestic work in Bujumbura. When they cannot find work, they find refuge in the more populous districts of the city and often end up on the streets.
A second group is comprised of girls who come from homes with complicated family histories: divorce, poverty, widowhood, disagreement between parents and children etc. Most of the girls state that they engage in sexual work to pay for their education or flee domestic tension.
The last category is that of girls from rather wealthy families. They like to party, ‘Ikirori’ as they call it here.  They do so to go to fancy restaurants and wear luxurious clothing. Their motto is to “enjoy the moment” and live a life of luxury and freedom while escaping parental supervision.

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