Between Choice and Coercion: Sex Work, Exploitation and the Thin Line in Zimbabwe

In a recent tell-all podcast that has sparked both controversy and concern, a Zimbabwean sex worker candidly admitted to “selling” young women, some allegedly underage, to powerful, wealthy men known as Mbingas. What begins as a sensational exposé soon reveals a far deeper and more disturbing reality: the blurred boundaries between consensual sex work, systemic exploitation and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Zimbabwe.

This podcast was not just gossip fodder; it peeled back the layers of a complex social issue that must be confronted with urgency, sensitivity and honesty.

Sex Work in Zimbabwe: The Legal Grey Areas and Social Stigma

Sex work exists in Zimbabwe in a legal and moral limbo. While the act itself is not explicitly outlawed, laws such as the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act criminalize loitering for the purposes of prostitution and living off the proceeds of sex work. This vagueness leaves room for police harassment, arbitrary arrests and abuse—often with little to no legal recourse for the women involved.

What further worsens the situation is the way sex workers are portrayed and spoken about. Derogatory terms like bishu, a slang word used to describe a "loose" woman, dehumanize and shame women trying to survive under incredibly difficult economic circumstances. Such language, normalized in street talk, media and now podcasts, reinforces stigma and enables abuse.

The Thin Line: Work or Exploitation?

The podcast episode made one thing clear: what may appear on the surface as a "choice" often masks a darker reality. The women being "sold" to Mbingas are not simply employees in a transactional job, they are frequently young, vulnerable and desperate. The power imbalance is stark.

In many cases, women and girls in sex work have minimal ability to negotiate for safer sex, are subjected to physical and emotional abuse, and are controlled by brokers or “madams” who profit from their vulnerability. When underage girls are involved, it is not sex work, it is exploitation, trafficking and a direct violation of their sexual and reproductive rights. This is the heart of the matter, when poverty and patriarchy intersect, “consent” becomes a slippery concept.

Survival in a Collapsing Economy

Zimbabwe’s struggling economy has left many women with few options. With unemployment rates soaring and the cost of living rising beyond reach, sex work has become a last resort for many. For some, it's a means to feed their children, pay school fees or keep a roof over their heads.

But economic desperation should not be mistaken for empowerment. When a woman engages in sex work because all other avenues have closed, is it truly her choice, or is it coerced by circumstance?

Sex Workers, Silenced and Abused

Too often, the rights of sex workers are dismissed. Abuse is normalized. Assaults go unreported. In media portrayals, like the now-infamous podcast, sex workers are either objectified, villainized or reduced to punchlines. Their humanity is lost in the noise.

Sex workers are not criminals. They are not disposable. They are women, many of them survivors of childhood trauma, abuse, or previous forms of GBV, doing what they can to survive in a country that offers them little protection.

When Power Becomes Violence

The rich men, the Mbingas, in this story wield wealth like a weapon. With their power, they exploit girls who are too young, too poor or too afraid to say no. These interactions are not consensual, they are coerced. And that, by definition, is Gender-Based Violence. When a girl cannot say no because of poverty, that is GBV. When a woman is beaten or raped and cannot report it because of her status as a sex worker, that is GBV. When a 16-year-old is trafficked to a man old enough to be her father and society turns a blind eye, that is GBV.

A Call to Action

At Bertha’s Legacy and Bertha’s Place, we believe in a Zimbabwe where no woman is forced to trade her body for survival. We envision a society where every woman and girl, regardless of her background, work, or status, is protected from violence, exploitation and abuse.

We are calling for:

• Legal reform that protects sex workers from abuse and provides pathways for justice.

• Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for all women, especially the most vulnerable.

• Public education campaigns to challenge harmful language and stigma.

• Economic empowerment programs that offer real alternatives for survival.

• Accountability for the powerful men who exploit young girls under the guise of transactional sex.

Closing Thoughts

The line between sex work and exploitation is razor-thin in Zimbabwe, and we must be willing to examine it with clear eyes and compassionate hearts. It's not enough to listen to these podcast confessions with voyeuristic intrigue, we must respond with action. Let this be the moment we stop laughing at the suffering of women and start fighting for their dignity, safety and rights.

Bertha’s Legacy and Bertha’s Place remain committed to protecting every woman and girl from GBV, no matter who she is or where she comes from.