German Christians call for ban on prostitution

The resolution comes at the time of the three-year evaluation of the Prostitute Protection Act, which came into force in 2017, Pro reports. Together with some other organisations, such as Mission Freedom, the Christian guest centre Schönblick and the German Evangelical Alliance among Christians want to point out that human rights are violated, and people live in the misery of sexual exploitation through prostitution and human trafficking.

Estimates show that there are about 400,000 prostitutes in Germany. According to the initiators behind the resolution, prostitution is often the last resort to earn money for women in need. Financial emergencies, structural constraints, violence and human trafficking force many people into prostitution against their will, Uwe Heimowski explains. He is the policy officer of the German Evangelical Alliance (DEA).

Therefore, the organisations plead for a ban on commercial sex according to the “Nordic Model”, Pro writes. The Nordic Model makes commercial sex illegal but punishes the sex buyer instead of the woman.

Furthermore, the resolution aims to ignite a broad public debate on the issue of prostitution Idea writes. It calls “sexuality for sale” an “inhumane problem” to which more attention should be paid.

Commercial sex

The former CDU member of the Bundestag, Frank Heinrich, supports a ban on commercial sex. That is reported by Idea. According to Heinrich, the Nordic Model has proven to be efficient, and should thus also be applied in Germany. The ban creates awareness among men about the problems related to commercial sex.

Heinrich points out that MPs need a third of the population to change legislation and therefore calls on Christians to write letters to the German Parliament. “I am surprised that even church organisations could already achieve a lot by writing letters to MPs to point out the issue.”

Respect

The German diaconal organisation Diakonie Deutschland has called for a factual debate on prostitution, Domradio reports. Therefore, a reliable study needs to be conducted, Maria Loheide, head of social policy at Diakonie Deutschland, argued.

According to her, prostitutes deserve respect, support and help if they want. Loheide argues for an interdisciplinary debate to improve the situation of prostitutes and help them to step out if they want.

Spiritual battle

According to psychotherapist Michael Hübner, the fight against pornography also contains a spiritual dimension. He said so during the congress, “Against human trafficking and sexual exploitation.” That is reported by Idea. He points out that the Bible shares porn consuming under “uncleanness and fornication.” in Hübner’s opinion, the fight against pornography is ultimately “about a spiritual battle with satanic powers” that destroy marriages and families.

Swedish model

The Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland, meanwhile, wants to ban the buying of sex. EPP National Councilor Marianne Streiff calls for a ban based on the Swedish model. "In almost all cases, prostitution is based on exploitation", Streiff says to the Christian Swiss news website Ref.ch. Most women practice this trade under pressure and only a small proportion of women prostitute themselves voluntarily. "Studies show that 80 percent of all women would quit immediately if they had the opportunity," says Streiff.

However, the National Councilor emphasizes that a ban alone will not solve the problem; rather, accompanying measures are needed. Here, too, the Swedish model could serve as a model. “A ban only applies if the women are supported in their exit from the trade and effective educational and preventive work is carried out. These points are therefore also part of the motion.”

Rosmarie Quadranti, President of the Zurich Women's Center, says that that countries with the Swedish model have had good experiences. “The number of women working in the sex trade there has steadily decreased. There is also no evidence that women are being pushed underground”, she says.