A massive step towards Europe free from prostitution
EWL applauds ECHR judgement on criminalisation of sex buyers
[Brussels, 25 July 2024]
The European Women’s Lobby (EWL), co-founder and member of the Brussels’ Call Coalition, acknowledges and applauds today’s Chamber judgment in the case of M.A. and Others v. France [1] where the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been no violation of Article 8 (right to respect for private life) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The ECHR’s decision today is a significant development in the ongoing debate about the criminalisation of buyers of sex. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) accepted a case challenging the French government’s 2016 law that criminalises the purchase of sex. This case comes at a crucial time for the EU and the member states, as its outcome could influence broader national and cross-national policies on prostitution and provide blueprints for implementing the abolitionist model in other European countries. The Abolitionist Model seeks to address the root causes of prostitution by criminalising buyers of sex, reducing demand and providing adequate support for those currently in prostitution.
EWL President Iliana Balabanova said:
“Today’s decision is a massive step towards Europe free from prostitution! EWL has a long history of abolitionist efforts and we have been very clear on it- prostitution is an appalling violation of women’s rights and the system behind it exploits, abuses and stigmatizes women to an indescribable degree. In her last report Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls, categorises prostitution as violence against women and today in the court’s decision we see another proof of that. I want to thank all members of the Brussels call coalition for their ongoing political work and especially our French colleagues within EWL and Brussels’ Call networks. This is a win for all of us and we need to use this momentum for strategic change. We celebrate today but we are aware that still in many countries the abolitionist approach is not on the table and we will change that.”
[1] applications nos. 63664/19, 64450/19, 24387/20, 24391/20 and 24393/20
