This looks like a heated moment in the Avenues
HARARE — The bustling Avenues
district of Harare was recently brought to a standstill after a public confrontation between a sex worker and a client who allegedly refused to pay for services rendered.
Witnesses say the incident began when the unidentified woman pursued the man into the street, accusing him of "bolting" without settling his bill. The ensuing drama, captured on several mobile devices, shows the woman loudly demanding her wages while a crowd of onlookers—some amused and others concerned—gathered to watch the spectacle.
Disputes over payment are a common, yet dangerous, reality for many working in the Avenues. Because sex work remains technically illegal under Zimbabwean law (though soliciting arrests are frequently challenged in court), workers often find themselves with little to no legal protection when a client defaults.
"It’s a 'work at your own risk' environment," says one local resident. "When a guy refuses to pay, these women often have to resort to public shaming or 'drama' just to get what is owed to them, because they can't exactly walk into a police station to file a report for a service the law doesn't recognize."
The Avenues area, characterized by its high-rise apartments and proximity to the CBD, has long been the center of Zimbabwe's night economy. Despite frequent police raids and "loitering" crackdowns, the industry persists due to the country's harsh economic climate.
The incident reflects a growing trend where workers are becoming more confrontational to protect their livelihood. In recent years, many have switched to mobile money payments upfront to avoid being "duped" by clients, but as this latest street brawl shows, the system is far from foolproof.
Rights groups like the Katswe Sistahood have previously noted that such public disputes often put women at risk of physical violence or arrest for "disorderly conduct." While the Constitutional Court ruled in 2015 against the arbitrary arrest of women for soliciting, the lack of formal regulation continues to fuel these volatile street-side confrontations.
As of now, no formal charges have been reported from this specific incident, though the video continues to circulate as a stark reminder of the "wild west" nature of the Avenues' nightlife.
