The Italian Senate is currently discussing a law proposal to regulate prostitution, known as the “Spilabotte bill” (by the name of one of the initiating senators, Democratic Party – PD).
EWL Italian Coordination, LEF Italia, dialogues with political parties to bring the abolitionist argumentation into the discourse. On 22 June, Siusi Casaccia (President of LEF Italia) participated in the public meeting “Which model of society do we wish to build?”, organized by the Milan municipality, with Diana De Marchi (Councellor Milan province and PD regional secretary in charge of Human Rights policies), Francesca Zajczyk (in charge of equality policies of the Milan Municipality), and two MPs: PD Senator Lucrezia Ricchiuti (among the signatories of the draft law, and the PD MP Roberta Agostini.
An interesting debate whithin the Democratic Party divided among abolitionist and pro-legalization. Siusi Casaccia had the difficult task of dismatling myths such as the increase in fiscal revenues, the safeguards of prostituted people and the fight against trafficking that would allegedly be a consequence of the legalization of prostitution in Italy. During the meeting, it was also pointed out that prostitution is overall a male question and that education should be one of the major focuses.
LEF Italia will keep on raising awareness among the members of the Italian Parliament about the negative impacts that the legalization of prostitution would have in the country and the diverse examples across Europe on the issue.