Prostitution, trafficking and modern slavery in Europe – Council of Europe

 

Given the complex variety of policies and legislative measures that exist across Europe, the varying cultures, attitudes and social supports in different countries, the lack of consistency in the vigour with which laws are applied as well as the absence of comparable or even reliable data, makes arriving at definitive conclusions extremely difficult.

 

Nevertheless, in some areas, firm conclusions are possible and in others the balance of evidence makes it possible to reach informed opinions. Together, these conclusive facts and informed opinions underpin the recommendations of the report.

 

It is clear that stopping prostitution will not end trafficking nor indeed will stopping trafficking end prostitution but since the vast majority of victims of trafficking are females who end up in forced prostitution, any reduction in demand for prostitution brings a commensurate drop in demand for trafficking victims.

 

While some countries view prostitution as just another form of employment, others view it as a highly exploitative gender issue. One group seeks to regulate it as a legal activity. Others have criminalised the purchase of sex. For both groups however the aim is to reduce trafficking, because there is unanimity in the view that trafficking is a gross abuse of human rights.  

 

While one cannot be absolute about the full impact of either approach, on balance, in countries with a liberal but regulated regime both prostitution and trafficking have increased. On the other hand in countries following the so called Swedish Model both prostitution and trafficking have decreased. However, in both cases there is almost certainly a ‘displacement’ effect so it is difficult to predict what might be the overall impact on trafficking if, for instance, all European countries adopted the Swedish model.

 

The single starkest fact to emerge from the report is that, despite national and international measures against trafficking, including the Council’s own Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings, trafficking is increasing and conviction rates are going down.

 

Policies around prostitution can only be regarded as one tool in the fight against trafficking. This is now a huge lucrative business, netting an estimated $2.3 billion annually in Europe alone, which can and must be counteracted by more determined and better resourced policing. It is scarcely credible that a mere 6 people comprise the EUROPOL anti-trafficking team. If we are serious about ending this human rights abuse then we must devote serious resources both nationally and internationally to that fight.    

I am very pleased to support this report.