Selling Yourself

Something is really bothering me. I don't usually write serious posts. I'm more of a conversationalist than a writer. But as I drove home last night, I realized it was more important that I wrote this out rather than stewing over it.

I'm back in Malawi working for an organization called Grassroot Soccer. Now I live in Lilongwe, the capitol city and have access to a car. The past 2 nights I've driven a friend home to her house in a particular area of town. On my way there is a place where prostitutes congregate, waiting to be picked up. These girls and women are dressed in minimal clothes and stand often alone or in pairs in the dark. Every time I drive by I want to stop and ask them how much I would have to pay them to not sell themselves for money. Even more, I want to stop all of the men who use these girls for their bodies, while most have a wife or girlfriend(s) at home.

How do you deal with prostitution when you know so many of these girls need the money to support their families? Why can't we create an economic environment that provides enough opportunities for work without dehumanizing a woman? It's a very visual reminder that there is still so much room for improvement, not only here but all over the world where rape and gender-based violence still occur.