New Law On Prostitution Will Get You Jailed For 15 Years If Caught Buying Or Selling

Posted by: Andre Reagan in Uganda news May 6, 2021

The 10th parliament in their last session passed a number of bills especially to do with prostitution and other sexual offences. MPs drew up the sexual offences bill of 2019 to supplement the existing law. The previous law was not providing for these offences such as buying sex workers.

Some of the major points in this bill is the criminalization of prostitution. With buyers facing a jail term of up to 15 years. However, the Penal Code Act, Cap. 120 provides for a number of sexual offences. These provisions are outdated and do not show the changing trends in social attitudes, values and sexual practices.

This has made it difficult for courts of law to deal with new forms of sexual violence and exploitation. For example, sex tourism, indecent communication and child marriages among others.

The MPs see this new law as a relief to the nation, taking into account the numerous cases of sexual violence that don’t get raised and noticed in homes, schools and other institutions.

“This is the law that is going to redefine sexual conduct in this country. This piece of legislation is not for the woman only but for all. Any Christian or Muslim would be happy that there is something taken from the Bible and legislated upon.” Hon Jacob Oboth the Chairperson of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee said.

Hon Stella Etiang, the Moroto woman MP also praised this bill saying it will provide a huge sigh of relief from evil cultures that have long promoted sexual exploitation.

“This bill will help us get rid of some bad cultures in Karamoja. At some point, women were forced to marry men they did not like. It was some kind of forced marriage or marital rape,” the legislator said.

The legislators who supported the provision gave numerous reasons like refusal by one partner to use protection. The biological nature of male partners and the need for women to heal after birth.

Pakwach District Woman MP, Hon Jane Avur Pacuto argued that a woman who has just come out from labor has a right to withdraw her consent to the sexual act if she realizes she has not healed completely.

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