“SEX WORKERS” – LIBERALIZING PROSTITUTION IN EUROPE?

By: ECLJ

Photo: Taurillon

On October 3, members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will vote on a resolution aimed at liberalizing prostitution in Europe. According to this resolution, prostitution would be considered as a regular job, and prostitutes would be described as doing it freely, out of a sincere desire to be “sex workers.” This would mean abolishing all criminal sanctions, including against clients and pimps, who would become employers. But no one chooses prostitution freely and for pleasure. Most prostitutes are sadly victims of international trafficking networks.

But, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, issued an official statement calling on the Council of Europe to reject this draft resolution! Prostitution is no job, but a violation of women’s dignity, and physical integrity. It systematically exposes them to violence and is closely linked to human trafficking. This draft resolution normalizing prostitution is clearly the work of lobbies who recently took action at the UN and before the European Court of Human Rights, to have them stating that prostitution is a freedom. Women’s bodies are no items for sale and trafficking in women’s bodies should not be encouraged.