EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Anna KARAMANOU

Member of the European Parliament

President of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

CONFERENCE OF THE FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER

“WITHOUT VOICE”

Saturday, May 22, 2004

SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF PROSTITUTION SERVICES

The Sex Industry

Speech by Anna Karamanou

INTRODUCTION

Prostitution is often described as the world’s oldest profession. In Solon’s Athens, prostitution was primarily practiced by slave women, war captives, or women who came from other cities and had no family or support. The situation has not changed much since then, despite the recognition of women’s rights and the sexual revolution. Today, the sex industry is flourishing. It includes not only prostitution—the buying or renting of the human body—but also many other activities that purify prostitution in the eyes of society and shape the perception that it is a natural part of social life. Thus, in addition to brothels, the sex industry includes escort services and call girls, massage parlors, strip clubs, phone sex, sexual tourism, pornography in all its forms, and more.

A large number of “entrepreneurs” benefit from this industry, such as those who mediate in any way to connect “clients” with the “product,” but also those who advertise or provide advertising space for the promotion of related services, those who produce, distribute, sell, or advertise newspapers, magazines, books, and films through which products of the sex industry are showcased. The profits they make are estimated to rival those of the illegal trade in arms or drugs. It is notable that 70% of the amount spent by Europeans on online purchases in 2001 was allocated to websites with pornographic content.

IS PROSTITUTION A PROFESSION?

In recent years – especially in the last fifteen years – the view has prevailed internationally that the legalization of prostitution, recognizing it as “work,” like any other, would eliminate the stigma surrounding these women, the criminal nature of prostitution, and the illegal activities associated with it, while simultaneously protecting the women who choose this “profession” from pimps and prostitution networks that exploit them.

Today, it has been found that the results of this initiative not only failed to meet expectations but, on the contrary, have led to an exacerbation of the phenomenon. During an open public dialogue organized on January 19, 2004, by the Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities Committee of the European Parliament, the expert on women trafficking and prostitution, Janice G. Raymond, presented irrefutable evidence showing that the legalization of prostitution not only did not solve the problems or improve the living conditions of women, but, on the contrary, expanded the activities of various networks, always to the detriment of women, and society as a whole.

Legalization absolves pimps of guilt.

Proponents of the legalization of prostitution argue that professionalization leads to the absolution of guilt for women. In practice, however, it has been found that prostitutes continue to face stigma and condemnation, a situation that is even worsened by coming out of anonymity and being listed in directories, making them more vulnerable to criticism and rejection. On the other hand, legalization has absolved the sex industry and those who reap huge profits from it. Pimps are turned into respectable businessmen, while men who purchase these services are seen as consumers of a product like any other. The Swedish Private Media Group Inc. and the German Beate Uhse AG are companies with pornographic activities that have been listed on the stock exchange. The Australian brothel Daily Planet has also gone public and, in 1991, received the Victoria State Tourism Award.

Legalization expands the sex industry, it does not limit it.

Legalization not only did not limit the sex industry, but on the contrary, contributed to its expansion. The legalization of prostitution in the Netherlands took place in 2000. In 2001, it was found that the sex industry had expanded by 25%, reaching 5% of the Dutch GDP. Moreover, the industry became even more “visible,” occupying a larger part of everyday life and often challenging commonly accepted aesthetic standards. The sad image of half-naked women in front of large windows is well-known, while businesses have emerged with the declared goal of collaborating with the government to promote services related to prostitution, as well as to “protect the interests of clients.”

Another tragic example is that of the State of Victoria in Australia, where prostitution was legalized as early as the 1980s. Thus, while in 1989 there were 40 legal brothels operating in Victoria, by 1999 this number had risen to 94, and 84 escort services were also operating, not to mention the numerous related activities (peep shows, phone sex, etc.). Prostitution was even linked to tourism, as tourism packages included the possibility of using tokens from state-funded casinos to purchase sex services at the brothels in the area.

Legalization strengthens trafficking

Another key argument for legalization was that it would deliver a decisive blow to trafficking, that is, the transport of women from poor countries for sexual exploitation in the West. Reality has proven these expectations to be false.

The examples of Germany and the Netherlands are telling. In January 2002, prostitution was fully legalized as a profession in Germany. However, today it is estimated that 85% of the women working as prostitutes in Germany are of foreign origin. In the Netherlands, where similar legislation was adopted in 2000, the door was also opened for the legal entry of women into the country for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, while certain safeguards were put in place, such as the requirement for women to prove they were self-employed. Needless to say, the number of women from poor countries in the East being trafficked into the Netherlands by international slavery and prostitution rings has multiplied, while their exploiters face little difficulty in bypassing formal obstacles, for example, by instructing them on how to claim to be self-employed when dealing with the relevant government authorities.

Unfortunately, the authorities in these countries are not concerned by the large number of foreign women entering their territory. How can one believe that all these women are acting autonomously, voluntarily, managing to bypass on their own all the difficulties involved in attempting to enter a Western European country, and even network, find work, and secure accommodation? It is clear that internationally organized criminal networks and vested interests are directing and exploiting thousands of women and children in Europe.

Legalization does not limit illegal prostitution.

The expectations for limiting illegal prostitution have not been fulfilled. A particularly notable example is that of Victoria, Australia, where, after legalization, the number of brothels operating illegally has multiplied. The same happened in Sydney, where prostitution was legalized in 1995, and by 1999, the number of brothels had increased dramatically. Additionally, to avoid corruption within the police, the task of overseeing these activities was assigned to local councils, which, however, lack the necessary infrastructure and staff for such a vast task, resulting in a de facto disappearance of law enforcement.

Criminalization of the purchase of sex services – The experience of Sweden

The failure of legalization to address the problems associated with prostitution is evident. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the alternative solutions available. The most interesting of these is the experience of Sweden, the only country in the European Union that has recognized prostitution as a form of violence against women and a violation of their fundamental rights. Based on this understanding, Sweden has moved to criminalize the purchase of sexual services, focusing its policies and actions on reducing demand, while also offering prostitutes alternative forms of employment and professional training.

The relevant legislation came into effect on January ¹, 1999, following decades of efforts by the women’s movement in the country and after the proportion of women in the national Parliament reached 45% of the total. Today, in Sweden, the purchase of sexual services is prohibited. The penalty for offenders is either a monetary fine or imprisonment for up to six months.

The positive results of the Swedish law

In the first few months, the positive effects of the measure began to be evident. Firstly, street prostitution dramatically decreased, as the strong presence of the police discouraged potential clients. After an initial decline, there was a slight increase in the demand for and supply of sex services, but it never reached the levels seen before the ban. Some women left prostitution, some reduced their activities, while several disappeared. There are indications that those involved in the industry are either trying to continue their activities primarily through the internet or prefer to move their operations outside of Sweden. According to official statistics from the Stockholm Police, the number of women involved in street prostitution dropped from 250-300 in 1998 to 110 in 2001, while the number of clients decreased by 75% during the same period. Prostitution has not been completely eradicated, but it is now very limited, and most importantly, Sweden is no longer an attractive destination for traffickers.

Women’s organizations specializing in this issue consider the law to be highly successful, noting that the number of women seeking help to escape prostitution has significantly increased. Of the 130 women who sought help, 60% left prostitution and reported that the main motivation for doing so was the implementation of the law. This development is particularly encouraging, considering that the results began to show in the first few years, which is extremely difficult given that the related legislation conflicts with entrenched interests and attitudes that have dominated society for centuries. The Swedish experience serves as a good example for other European countries, some of which are already studying the law (e.g., France, Finland, etc.).

The myth of free choice

The “right to choose” is often used as a pretext and argument for the commodification of women’s bodies, dignity, safety, and health. However, prostitution cannot be considered a free career choice, as it is a remnant of patriarchy that dictates that genders have clear and distinct roles, and in this case, the role of women is to serve men in every way and in every domain.

Prostitution is one of the many forms of violence against women. The vast majority of prostitutes are victims of physical or psychological abuse, as there is almost no prostitute who operates independently, without someone behind her who, at least at some point in her life, pushed her into prostitution to exploit the profits. It is not coincidental that many prostitutes admit to having been victims of abuse at a young age by people close to them, to whom they could not resist (e.g., father, teacher). These women treat their bodies as objects, they have no emotional involvement in

the sexual act, and therefore their resistance is limited, making them easy targets for traffickers. According to criminology professor Ms. Aliki Giotopoulou-Marangopoulou, sociologists and criminologists now know that the argument of “free choice” in the profession of prostitution and staying in it willingly is a myth. The human body cannot be an object of commercial transaction.

The first step in addressing the situation is the realization that prostitutes are victims and need help for their social reintegration. The severity of society and the law should be directed at those who exploit them, and of course at the clients who fuel the demand for the “product.” The criminalization of the purchase of sexual services in other European Union countries is a necessary step in the effort to combat all forms of violence and protect the human dignity of women.

Prostitution and the Olympic Games

The case of Sydney is well-known. Thousands of sex workers, as well as children from Southeast Asia, arrived from all corners of the globe to meet the increased demand during the 2000 Olympic Games. The sex industry and international trafficking rings reached their peak, with their profits soaring to unprecedented heights. Brothels couldn’t keep up with the demand from clients. There were queues even at the sex shows. It is obvious that the same networks are hoping for similar profits from the 2004 Olympic Games. After all, the mobility of internationally organized criminal networks is well-known.

A few months ago, there was a Swedish protest to the Greek Government and the International Olympic Committee, with the aim “to take the necessary measures to prevent the encouragement of prostitution” ahead of the 2004 Olympics. In Greece, as is well known, 1,300,000 men fund trafficking and prostitution rings with over 20 billion euros per year. Prostitution has been professionalized since 1999. We hope that the mobilization of women’s organizations, along with the Swedish protest, will permanently prevent the initial plans for granting 230 licenses to establish brothels “within the boundaries of the Municipality of Athens.”

Bibliography:

1. European Parliament, Committee on Women’s Rights: Report on the impact of the sex industry in the EU. Rapporteur: Marianne Eriksson, April 15, 2004, A5-0274/2004.

2. KESO of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, Press Conference “Prostitution and the 2004 Olympics. Criminalization of the Client. Position of Civil Society”. Athens, February 20, 2004.

3. Janice G. Raymond «10 Reasons for Not Legalising Prostitution», 25 March 2003

4. Maxim Institute, «Effective Prostitution Law Reform» at www.maxim.org.nz/prb/betterway.html

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