Myths & Facts
It is important to us to inform the interested public with facts about human trafficking and prostitution as there is a lot of misinformation swirling around through many media channels.
Myths:
By fully decriminalizing the sex trade it is easier to monitor.
Facts:
Instead:
“Prosecutors noted that legalizing prostitution ‘made their work in prosecuting trafficking in human beings and pimping more difficult’.” (Germany)
(Source: Legalizing prostitution Fact Sheet, Equality Now, 2021; German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Report by the Federal Government on the Impact of the Act Regulating the Legal Situation of Prostitutes (Prostitution Act), July 2007, pg. 47 – 48.)
The Equality Model is more dangerous for prostituted people than full decriminalization.
Instead:
These murder statistics show the exact opposite:
Legalized and decriminalized countries:
Germany: 102 murders
Netherlands: 29 murders
Equality Model countries:
France: 14 murders
Norway: 1 murder
Sweden: 0 murders
(Source: Sex Industry Kills project and United Nations Population Division)
By fully decriminalizing the sex trade sexual services are consensual
Instead:
“It is mostly supposed that women would avoid the abuse of their bodies if they had a valid alternative. In this sense, poverty and bad economic and employment situations are seen as strong push-factors forcing women into prostitution, and which call into question whether their consent can be assumed to have been voluntarily given.”
(Source: Directorate general for internal policies, Sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality, European Parliament, 2014, p. 7)
And: There is neither liberty nor real consent when the sexual act is imposed [on a person] with money.
By fully decriminalizing the sex trade it would reduce stigma.
Instead:
“The government admitted in 2010 that people in prostitution continued to face stigma and discrimination, despite prostitution now being legal.” (Victoria, Australia)
(Source: Legalizing prostitution Fact Sheet, Equality Now, 2021; Parliament of Victoria Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee, Inquiry into People Trafficking for Sex Work: Final Report, June 2010.)
By fully decriminalizing the sex trade it would be possible to control safety & violence.
Instead:
“92% of women working as prostitutes and interviewed for this survey had suffered sexual harassment,
87% physical violence and
59% sexual violence.
41% of prostitutes had experienced violence in the context of performing sexual services.”
(Source: Directorate general for internal policies, Sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality, European Parliament, 2014, p. 44)
By fully decriminalizing the sex trade it could improve working conditions.
Instead:
“In prostitution, data show that the great majority of prostitutes who consume substances have started after engaging in prostitution:
83.3% of the prostitutes who consume sedatives,
73.2% of antidepressants consumers, and
66% of cocaine consumers started consuming after engaging in prostitution. Use of cocaine is often instrumental and demanded by the clients of sexual services.”
(Source: Directorate general for internal policies, Sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality, European Parliament, 2014, p. 47)
By fully decriminalizing the sex trade it would lead to less violence against women and girls.
Instead:
A new study (2023) from the UK has now proven that men who buy sex are 8 times more likely to be violent against women and girls. NordicModelNowUK.org)
A new study from Germany (2023), where prostitution is legal, showed that 34% of men interviewed between 18-35 used violence against women and find it acceptable (Tagesschau.de/Plan-international.org)
And here are the numbers from Ann Arbor since the decriminalization: A Report shows campus sexual assault, crime up: The U-M’s annual Security and Fire Safety Report counted twenty-nine reports of rape last year, up from seventeen in 2021. Stalking incidents more than doubled, to fifty-nine from twenty-seven, the report says.
Fully decriminalizing the sex trade doesn’t change communities.
Instead:
Sex tourism increases.
Dutch or German downtowns often have a brothel which changes the whole feel of a city.
In addition, in these countries, it is not uncommon that men go to the brothel on father’s day.
Or groups of business men celebrate a business success in a brothel.
In the Netherlands, “sex workers” go to schools on career day.
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