Strasbourg, 08/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution adopted on Tuesday 8 April by 82 votes in favour, 17 against and 25 abstentions, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) decided in favour of the Swedish model for the fight against prostitution, human trafficking and modern-day slavery in Europe.
In a law adopted in 1999 (after two decades of discussion), Sweden was the first European country to make the purchase of sexual services a criminal offence - punishing the clients of prostitution rather than the female prostitutes themselves. The term female prostitutes is used because, while homosexual men and transgender people are also victims of the phenomenon - and increasingly so - “women represent a disproportionate share of them”, the resolution states. It underlines that sexual exploitation can now be considered in Europe as “an obstacle to gender equality”. The debate that preceded the vote provided an opportunity for an exchange of views in which the Swedish model in particular was questioned by German and Swiss parliamentarians who highlighted the legislation that has been introduced in their respective countries. The Liberal Alfred Heer argued for the Swiss model which allows a better reading of the phenomenon. He stated: “We know who works in Switzerland. We know if this person does it of their own accord or not, and we punish human traffickers with prison sentences of up to 15 years. If we had enacted the criminalisation of prostitution or the clients, these people would still enter the territory but the work of the police would be more difficult, as would that of the social services in charge of prostitutes”. An increase in the danger of working conditions was also mentioned against the Swedish model, but these considerations did not deter the conviction of Portuguese rapporteur José Mendes Bota (European People's Party), who said: “Of course, we need more data and the assessment planned for 2015 in Sweden will be an important element, but I could not keep on waiting. After all that I have read, at this stage, the Swedish model is the one that seems the most effective. It has weak points and it is possible that this country 'exports' the problem, but this is perhaps because other countries seem 'welcoming' by legalising prostitution”. The resolution approved in Strasbourg in fact calls for harmonisation. In the face of Mafia-style networks that know no borders (and which have ceased to consider Sweden as a market), the response must be a common one. It must also include the signature and ratification of the Council of Europe convention on the fight against human trafficking. Adopted in 2005, this convention has not been signed or ratified by Liechtenstein, Monaco, the Czech Republic or Russia, and is still awaiting ratification from Estonia, Greece and Turkey. (VL)