This study, the first of its kind, was conducted by the women's center for
studies and training in Taiz by a researcher named Fawzia Hasuna. The report
included accused women in the courts of Taiz and Aden. Ms. Hasuna stressed the
importance of the role of civil society in exerting pressure on social
institutions to guarantee the protection of this group of women, indicating
that it is necessary that they work together with judges and security in order
to clarify the concepts of prostitution and adultery and that it will not leave
the conditions of such to individual interpretation.
The study clarified that those who practice prostitution resort to it because
of their lack of money to cover personal and family expenses, including the
men's expenses.
The study indicated that the ages of the majority of those practicing
prostitution vary between 18-23. 5.8% are widows, 23.5% divorcees, and the
majority is unemployed. 41% are single, 29.4% are married. Those who are
married undertake prostitution because their wages are not sufficient. 11.7%
work for phone cards. 5.8% are students.
The study added that a large percentage of them are illiterate. Only 35.3% can
write and 29.5% can read. This indicates the low level of education among such
women. 11.7% are in high school, and 23.5% obtained elementary educations.
Half of the subjects' father's have died according to the study. 11.7% of the
fathers are still living, however 52.9% of these fathers live far away from
home. 23.5% of the mothers of these women are dead, and 35.4% have both parents
living. Of these families 5.9% have divorced parents, 11.7% have a mother who
is sick, 52.9% have mothers who have remarried. 63.6% have more than two
brothers, and 27.3% have three to four brothers, and 9.1% of them have more
than this. This indicates that the interviewees prostitute themselves in order
to help pay for their unemployed brothers and for qat and medical treatment.
The study stated that the majority of these women resisted prostitution in the
beginning, but then submitted for the necessity of paying for qat and telephone
cards.
The researcher explained that she noticed in a number of Aden hotels an
organized system of prostitution. This system connected prostitutes with those
desiring their services. The researcher met with the head of public affairs and
discussed the legality of foreign women working in prostitution in Aden. He
said that foreign women undergo a medical examination for AIDS before the
renewal of their work contract.
He condemns giving Yemeni women similar permission due to the fact that they
can work in fields that do not violate national laws. He does issue permits for
Yemeni women to become dancers and singers, as long as they do not overstep the
boundaries of good taste. This is due to Aden's unique position as a tourist
city.
The official at the office of the Department of Labor stated that licenses are
revoked if the girls misuse them by working in fields such as prostitution.
