As of: February 23, 2024, 8:26 a.m
By: Jana Stabener
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Dorothee Bär (CSU) wants to ban prostitution “de facto” – “for the benefit of women”.
© Socrates Tassos/imago
Dorothee Bär calls for a “paradigm change” in dealing with prostitution.
The Federal Association for Sex Work finds this “embarrassing”.
The CDU and CSU want to prevent sexual exploitation by banning the purchase of sex.
The group has submitted a corresponding proposal.
The bill will be on the Bundestag agenda on Friday, February 23rd.
Why now?
Dorothee Bär (CSU) tells
BuzzFeed News Deutschland
that the topic is “current every day” for her.
The current legal situation is “untenable, the red-green federal government’s prostitute law of 2002 has failed”.
Andre Nolte, press spokesman for the professional association for erotic and sexual services (BesD), found it “embarrassing” that the Union now wants to discuss the issue of banning the purchase of sex in an interview with
BuzzFeed News Germany,
a portal from
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
A major evaluation of the Prostitute Protection Act has been underway since July 2022, the results of which will be published next year.
The CDU and CSU would know full well that they would speak against a ban on purchasing sex.
“That’s why they’re rushing forward now, so that tempers are properly heated before the 2025 federal election.”
Ban on purchasing sex
A ban on buying sex (also called punishment for johns) is part of the “Nordic Model”, a specific form of ban on prostitution.
It is characterized by “asymmetrical criminalization,” which means that it is not the provider of sexual services that is punished, but rather the customer.
This form of criminalization exists in Sweden and other Nordic countries - hence the name.
Opinions about the Nordic model vary.
Some see it as a solution to human trafficking and sexual exploitation, while others believe that such a ban would further worsen the conditions of prostitutes.
More on the topic: Woman lists sex work as a job on LinkedIn – and gives good reasons for it
Dorothee Bär from the CSU calls for “acting with heart” when it comes to prostitution
“There is no need for an evaluation, all relevant information is on the table, it takes action with heart and mind,” says Bär and calls for a “paradigm change” in dealing with prostitution.
“The conditions are inhumane and unlawful,” she says.
There is an “extremely large unreported area” and the “vast majority” are in “extreme dependence and poverty-stricken prostitution”.
A ban on buying sex will change this.
“In this way we can save people from prostitution before they end up in prostitution,” says Bär.
Dorothee Bär (CSU) comments on prostitution in Germany.
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
This is an article from
BuzzFeed News Germany
.
We are part of the
IPPEN.MEDIA
network.
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BuzzFeed News Germany
can be found here .
“The Union is acting as if this was suddenly an issue close to its heart.
At the same time, there is no mention of it in the draft of the new CDU policy program,” criticizes Denise Loop, chairwoman of the Green parliamentary group in the Committee for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, at
BuzzFeed News Germany
.
They are making things too easy for themselves by calling for a ban on the purchase of sex and ignoring other things in order to protect those affected, for example the independent right of residence that is decoupled from the willingness to testify in criminal proceedings.
“A ban on buying sex neither combats forced prostitution nor improves the conditions of sex workers; at most, visible street prostitution decreases.” On the contrary: such a ban would force sex workers into illegality, increase violence and make access to help services significantly more difficult says Loop.
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More on the topic: Our author believes that a ban on purchasing sex only makes prostitution invisible
Union scares sex workers in Germany
All sex workers suffer from a ban on buying sex, says Nolte: those who are already affected by sexual exploitation and those who are not.
For around 100,000 people, sex work is one thing above all else: a job.
According to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), there were 476 victims of sexual exploitation in 2022. “Even if you increase these numbers tenfold because you say that the number of unreported cases is high, it is still only five percent of all sex workers,” said Nolte.
The fact that the Union wants to enforce a ban on purchasing sex because of this minority is causing great concern in the scene.
The number of members of the Federal Sex Work Association has quadrupled.
“Every day I get messages from people who fear for their existence,” says Nolte.
“The CDU/CSU is scaring us all with their ban on buying sex,” says Nolte.
The closer the 2025 federal election gets, the “worse” this feeling will become.
More on the topic: Sex workers feel more respected within the queer community