Campaign against prostitution

 

Doc. 7868

3 July 1997

 

Motion for a Recommendation

presented by Mr Göran Magnusson and others

 

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

 

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted on 23 April 1997 Recommendation 1325 (1997) on measures against traffic in women and forced prostitution.

In the recommendation the Assembly stresses its alarm over the dramatic increase in traffic in women and forced prostitution and recommends that the Committee of Ministers draw up a convention thereby creating conditions for concerted action by the forty member states. The convention would also be open for signature by states not members of the Council of Europe.

For the purposes of the convention the Assembly agreed on a specific definition of traffic in women and forced prostitution. Equally serious a problem is the type of prostitution which falls outside the scope of the definition. Prostitution exists in all countries and among both women and men.

Prostitution goes against principles of human rights. It is unacceptable from a social point of view. It is degrading for those who prostitute themselves and those who buy sexual services exploit the social and economic disadvantage of the prostitutes. Crime and drug abuse flourish in connection with prostitution. This creates dependence which in its turn can force further prostitution.

The Assembly,

  1. Aware that laws on prostitution vary considerably between member states;

  2. Convinced that the most rapid way to fight prostitution is to initiate promptly a comprehensive campaign against prostitution;

  3. Believing that such a campaign should be organised in cooperation with non-governmental organisations and similar organisations in the respective countries;

  4. Stressing that aspects of equality should figure prominently among the campaign themes,

Recommends that the Committee of Ministers decide without delay that the Council of Europe should organise a campaign against prostitution.

 

Signed:[1]

Magnusson, Sweden, SOC

Andnor, Sweden, SOC

Bergqvist, Sweden, SOC

Calner, Sweden, SOC

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Holand, Norway, UEL

I.B. Johansson, Sweden, SOC

Jansson, Finland, LDR

Kautto, Finland, SOC

Kelam, Estonia, EPP

Lekberg, Sweden, SOC

Maximus, Belgium, SOC

Wärnersson, Sweden, SOC

[1]    SOC: Socialist Group

EPP: Group of the European People's Party

EDG: European Democratic Group

LDR: Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

NR: Not registered in any political group