The alarming cry of Kinshasa, a city of contrasting opulence, is muffled in the ominous shadow of a new social phenomenon, the “Deal”. This digital prostitution system, insidiously infiltrating social networks, is silently destroying the lives of many young girls, amidst almost total indifference from the authorities.
Kinshasa, a noisy, proud and colorful city, is now darkened by a new form of prostitution hidden behind the innocent pseudonym of “Deal”. Taking place primarily on social networks, and specifically on WhatsApp, this practice endangers the lives of young girls, often minors, who are drawn into it. The silence of the authorities in the face of this scourge is deafening.
The “Deal” is a practice that deviates from traditional prostitution, where girls worked in specific places like along the Kalamu River in Matonge, at Pakadjuma, along the 30 June boulevard or along Kabambare. Instead, the “Deal” takes place in digital anonymity, where individuals, whose identities are hidden, create WhatsApp groups to attract potential customers. Suggestive photos and videos of girls, with prices attached, are posted there.
During our investigation, a WhatsApp group called “Kin Deal Service” was discovered. It even appears to have a headquarters located in the Yolo-Sud district in the municipality of Kalamu, unknown to the state authorities. Girls who participate in these “deals” shared their experiences, highlighting the dangers they are exposed to, including encounters with strangers, some of whom have malicious intentions, such as having unprotected sex.
In the DRC, prostitution is prohibited for minors, but for those over 18, the law remains silent. This regulatory silence is all the more worrying in the case of the “Deal”, where the control of the authorities is almost non-existent, leaving the actors of this illicit trade to act with impunity.
It is time for the authorities to take concrete steps to curb this scourge. Silence is no longer an option. The girls of Kinshasa deserve a better life. They deserve respect, protection, and the opportunity to grow up in a safe environment.
This new form of prostitution is an alarm bell for all of us, a reminder that our silence and inaction are complicit in these injustices. It’s time for us to take responsibility, demand action from our authorities and fight for a better future for our girls.
The “Deal”, under its misleading name, is a silent virus spreading across Kinshasa, destroying the lives of many young girls. It’s time for this virus to be demystified and for the authorities to take measures to end it. Silence is no longer an option.
Henock Bituatua from Kinshasa.