France: sex trade survivor marching 740km to request abolitionist law #marchepourlabolition
[France, 19 September 2014] On 3 September 2014, Rosen Hicher, a sex trade survivor, started a 740km journey from Saintes to Paris, in order to bring societal attention to the reality of prostitution and call for the adoption of an abolitionist law in France. Rosen Hicher plans to arrive in Paris mid of October. Along the way, she will stop in the different cities where she was prostituted, meeting decision-makers and citizens, until she reaches Paris, where she "worked" in a champagne bar, in 1988.
With her action, Rosen Hicher wants to raise awareness on the violence intrinsic to the system of prostitution, on its impact on gender equality and on society in general. The French Parliament adopted, last December, a proposal of law aiming at implementing the Swedish model in France, which supports persons in prostitution and offers them exit programmes, educates to equality and respect, and criminalises traffickers, pimps and sex buyers. Survivors and NGOs call on the new French government to keep the abolition of prostitution as a priority. NGOs are supporting Rosen Hicher in her march and hope that her action will lead to a societal understanding of the reality of prostitution.
You can follow Rosen Hicher’s march on her blog page #marchepourlabolition.
You can also donate to support her. Click here!