German politicians are pushing for a ban on prostitution more than two decades after it was legalised, amid harsh warnings that the country is fast becoming the ‘brothel of Europe’.
The centre-right CDU party is among those calling for partial recriminalization of the practice, claiming the 2002 legalization failed in its aims to give sex workers more rights and recognition under German law.
Selling sex was legalized in 2002 by a previous centre-left government, with the aim of giving the now 250,000 sex workers working in Germany labor rights, access to social benefits and the right to sue clients who refuse to pay for services.
But leading politicians have claimed that in practice the vast majority of sex workers in Germany do not receive these increased rights and protections.
Dorothee Bär, deputy leader of the parliamentary group of Germany’s two main Christian Democratic parties, the CDU and the CSU, said that almost all sex workers in the country come from abroad and have no documents, and are therefore at the mercy of exploiters. human traffickers and pimps.
Selling sex was legalized in 2002, with the aim of giving the now 250,000 sex workers working in Germany labor rights, access to social benefits and the right to sue clients who refuse to pay for services (File image)
‘There can be no real equality as long as we accept that hundreds of thousands of women are treated as slaves. It is a violation of human dignity that we must urgently put an end to,” Bär told Bild.
She said pimps and traffickers are the biggest beneficiaries of the legalized sex industry.
‘Germany has become the brothel of Europe. The women are abused in the worst way by their clients and pimps,” she warned.
The CDU, the German opposition party, wants to adopt the so-called Scandinavian model, where customers can be prosecuted for buying sex, but sex workers are not punished.
It was first introduced by Sweden in 1999. After a government-appointed special committee investigated the impact of the partial decriminalization of sex work, it concluded that street prostitution had been reduced by half between 1999 and 2008.
Soon after, a series of countries, including Norway, Iceland, Canada and Northern Ireland, passed some form of Scandinavian-style legislation to partially decriminalize sex work.
The legislation proposed by the CDU would ensure that brothels are closed and the renting of apartments to sex workers is prohibited.
These measures, Bär claims, would reduce sex work in Germany, but not eradicate it.
The proposal is gaining ground among Germany’s ruling party, the Social Democrats. Leni Breymaier, an SD MP, called the opposition’s proposal “a step in the right direction.”
Leading politicians claim that the legalization of sex work in Germany has largely benefited pimps and human traffickers
It appears to have had a significant impact on Germany’s highest political echelons, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz claiming last week that he has always been “morally outraged” by men who buy sex.
The government later backed down, with German Family Minister Lisa Paus saying there were no plans to change current laws.
Organizations representing sex workers are unhappy with the proposals, claiming there is no evidence that Scandinavian-style legislation helps women or reduces sex work.
The Professional Association for Erotic and Sexual Services, which represents brothels and independent prostitutes, said punishing clients would only make the work more dangerous.
It said: ‘Since Sweden became the first country in the world to introduce a ban on the purchase of sex 25 years ago, there have been no studies to suggest that the Scandinavian model has been a success.
‘It is always remarkable to see the means by which those opposed to obtaining sex try to realize their moral ideas – at the expense of the rights of sex workers, clients and brothel operators and ultimately at the expense of a tolerant, free and rights-based society .’