(Brussels, 13 September 2013) The European Women’s Lobby is organising a Brussels’ Day of Action in the framework of its campaign “Together for a Europe free from prostitution”, thanks to the support of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Ms Mary Honeyball, Ms Nicole Kiil-Nielsen, Ms Emer Costello and Mr Mikael Gustafsson. Join us on Tuesday 1st October:
From 9h to 12h: Working seminar on the reality of prostitution, European Parliament, ASP 1G2
The aim of the working seminar is to provide in-depth knowledge about the reality of prostitution, and thereby feed into the discussion in the Women’s Rights Committee (FEMM) of the European Parliament on the report “Sexual exploitation and prostitution, and their impact on gender equality”.
The first panel will provide perspectives from police and justice professionals from Sweden, France and Germany. The second panel will look at the consequences of prostitution on women’s lives and include testimonies of survivors. The last panel will gather the MEPs working on the FEMM report (Mary Honeyball, Ulrike Lunacek, Inês Zuber). The seminar and the press event will be attended by more than 70 organizations which are signatories to the Brussels’ Call.
There will be interpretation FR-EN.
Speakers:
- Ulrika Stuart Hamilton, State Secretary to the Minister for Gender Equality, Sweden
- Simon Häggström, Detective Inspector, Stockholm Prostitution Unit, Sweden
- Yves Charpenel, First Advocate General, Court of Cassation, France’s highest court
- Helmut Sporer, Chief Superintendent, Criminal investigation department, Augsburg, Germany
- Muriel Salmona, psychiatrist, author of the book “Le Livre noir des violences sexuelles” (Ed. Dunod) (‘The black book of sexual violence’)
- Nusha Yonkova, President of the European Network of Migrant Women
- Rachel Moran, survivor, author of the book “Paid for: my journey through prostitution” (Gill and Macmillan)
- Laurence Noëlle, survivor, author of the book “Renaître de ses hontes” (Ed. Le Passeur) (‘To rise from the ashes of your shame’)
- Rosen Hicher, survivor
- Input from Sophie Auconie MEP and Nicole Kiil-Nielsen MEP
At 12h15: press event with the MEPs on the Brussels’ Call “Together for a Europe free from prostitution”, in front of room ASP 1G2, in the European Parliament.
More than 40 MEPs have signed the Brussels’ Call and will gather for a visual collective action, group photo and press opportunities.
Muriel Salmona (author “Le Livre noir des violences sexuelles”), Rachel Moran (author of “Paid for: my journey through prostitution”), and Laurence Noëlle (author of “Renaître de ses hontes”) will also be available for interviews about their books.
12.30: Introductory words from EWL President Viviane Teitelbaum
Brief speeches from Mary Honeyball MEP (S&D, UK), Sophie Auconie (EPP, France), Mikael Gustafsson MEP (GUE, Sweden), Antonyia Parvanova MEP (ALDE, Bulgaria), and Nicole Kiil-Nielsen MEP (Greens, France).
Press contacts for journalists: Anna Bates, EWL Media and Communication Officer, bates@womenlobby.org, Tel: 0032 2 210 04 40; Pierrette Pape, EWL Policy Officer and Project Coordinator, pape@womenlobby.org, Tel: 0032 2 210 04 25.
To register to the seminar and the press event, please send an email to rosales@womenlobby.org, by 22 September, with the following data: name, organisation, date of birth, nationality, ID number (passport or identity card). Thanks!
Photo: Mirian Luchetto / Le monde selon les femmes
