Today, thirteen European human rights organisations called on members of the European Parliament to vote against the harmful Prostitution Report.
They emphasise that criminalisation of any aspect of sex work does not protect the rights of people in sex work. It does not help address human trafficking and forced labour either.
The NGOs, united under the European Coalition on Sex Workers’ Rights and Inclusion, include organisations and networks working on gender equality, human rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV, harm reduction, the rights of LGBTI people, digital rights, human trafficking, migration, racial justice and criminal justice.
In their open letter to MEPs, they highlight the numerous biased, or misleading statements on which the Report is based. They remind MEPs that only the decriminalisation of all aspects of sex work, and the meaningful inclusion of sex workers in decision-making, can protect the rights of people selling sex, including victims of sexual exploitation.
Read the open letter here.
MEPs will vote on the report “Regulation of prostitution in the EU: its cross-border implications and impact on gender equality and women’s rights” on 14 September. In June, the FEMM Committee adopted the report.