What is prostitution?

Prostitution takes place when sex is treated as a commodity that can be bought and sold. The sex worker sells sexual services to customers. Most prostitutes are women and many of them come from abroad.

Why is it controversial?

Prostitutes are often vulnerable women who can easily be exploited. Therefore, prostitution is a branche in which much human trafficking takes place.

In addition, the question arises whether it is ethical if women sell their bodies as commodities. They are often degraded to sexual objects by their customers. Therefore, it is hard to combine prostitution with the concept of human dignity.

What are the types of legislation on prostitution?

There are three types of legislation on prostitution.

In some countries, such as the Netherlands and Germany, prostitution is legal. Proponents of legalisation argue that it enables the national authorities to regulate the branch and detect human trafficking more easily.

In other countries, such as Armenia and Georgia, prostitution is illegal. It is forbidden by law and both sex sellers as well as their customers can be punished by law. However, that does not mean that prostitution does not exist in these countries. Often, the law is not applied strictly and the sex industry is tolerated.

A third type of legislation is called the Nordic Model. This means that prostitution is partly decriminalised. Selling sex is legal, but buying the service is not. This legislation is in force in Scandinavian countries.