Brussels, 01/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 1 October, some 50 MEPs demonstrated their support for the European Women's Lobby initiative for a Europe free from prostitution. They signed a “Call” presented in December of last year and supported by around 200 women's rights NGOs.
Women make up 85% of victims worldwide of trafficking for sexual exploitation and nine out of ten women in prostitution want to get out. The MEPs back the Call which states that prostitution runs counter to gender equality and is a violation of human rights. The parliamentarians also support recommendation on this issue to member states. Repressive measures against prostituted persons should be ended, all forms of procuring should be criminalised, exit programmes for those in prostitution should be set up, the purchase of a sexual act should be prohibited, prevention and education policies should be implemented to promote equality and positive sexuality, and prevention policies should be developed in the countries of origin of prostituted persons.
“With the Brussels' Call, we clearly see that the abolition of prostitution is a value shared by many across Europe. For all signatories of the Call, the EU policies on trafficking won't achieve results as long as the impunity of procurers and sex-buyers is not addressed”, said Mikael Gustafsson (GUE/NGL, Sweden), chair of the Parliamentary committee on transport, women's rights and gender equality (FEMM). (MD/transl.fl)