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Taiwan - Joint Statement Against Legalization of Prostitution

Taipei, Taiwan, November 25, 2009

Garden of Hope Foundation, Taiwan

Taiwan Anti-Sexual Exploitation Alliance, Taiwan

Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation, Taiwan

ECPAT-Taiwan, Taiwan

Taiwan Women’s Link, Taiwan

Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada

Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres, Canada

Coalition against Trafficking in Women, USA

Equality Now, UK

Pyeong-Taek Sexual Violence Relief Center, Korea

Sexual Assault Support Center of Ottawa, Canada

Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, Canada

Taiwan Should Stop Legalization of Prostitution

On November 25^th, the 10^th International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Garden of Hope Foundation in Taiwan and Taiwan Anti-Sexual Exploitation Alliance together with local and international allies around the world express our deep concern regarding the recent proposal to legalize prostitution, a form of violence against women, by the government of Taiwan. Five international and national women’s organizations from Canada, Korea, UK and US will speak in full support of Taiwanese women’s opposition to legalization of prostitution in Taiwan in the November 25^th press conference in Taipei, Taiwan.

In 2009, the Taiwan court has ruled that the existent regulation on punishing prostituted women is against the principle of equality and should become ineffective in two years. While welcoming the decriminalization of prostituted women, the impact of this ruling has misled the Taiwan government toward the establishment of the sex trade district and legalization of sex industry that are completely against women’s human rights. We believe that the Taiwan government has made a critical error by failing to recognize the highly unequal relationship that exists between men and women within prostitution.

We strongly urge the Taiwan government not to legalize prostitution for prostitution is violence against women. Changing the name of violence will not change the fact that men are enacting violence on women. Designating red-light districts where men can do legalized violence to women will not cover the fact that the government allows for legal violation against women’s basic human rights. In fact, legalization will allow men's commodification of women, and develops government's dependency on revenue generated by this practice. The Taiwan government will become known internationally as a country supplying women to other countries with sex industries and as a sex tourism destination. Many countries that had experimented with sex industry have now realized that it is a total failure: sex industry does not decrease sexual violence against women, but turns your country into the destination of international sex tourism and trafficked women.

The majority of women entered prostitution because of poverty. We strongly urge the Taiwan government to recognize the STATE REPONSIBILITIES to address exploitation of poor women and girls in prostitution and to enact progressive social, economic and political policies that benefit poor women and advance women’s equality. This brave step is recognized by many countries around the globe including Sweden, Norway and Iceland.

Taiwan is really at the critical point in promoting the rights of women and girls. We strongly urge the Taiwan government not to legalize prostitution at any circumstances and should take following actions to protect women against sexual exploitation:

1. Stop legalizing ‘sex industry’; prostitution is a form of violence against women, not a job.

2. Decriminalize prostituted women who often enter sex trade out of desperate poverty; however prostitution should not be recognized as a ‘job’ or an ‘industry’. By doing so, it only denigrates women's value within the labor force as being primarily sexual.

3. Initiate social, economic and political policies that benefit poor women and advance women’s equality. Prostitution should not become the only choice for women in poverty.

4. Purchasers and third parties who profit from sex trade should be criminalized. The government should strictly prohibit any information and acts related to recruiting women into prostitution.

Contact: Regina Lin, Garden of Hope Foundation

E. goh615@goh.org.tw | T. +886-2-2362-6995*213 | F. +886-2-2367-3002

Regina Yuching Lin

International Affairs Specialist

The Garden of Hope Foundation

Empower Women & Girls, Empower the World

T +886-2-2362-6995 ext. 213 | F +886-2-2367-3002

E goh615@goh.org.tw | W www.goh.org.tw

7F, 75, Sec. 2, Roosevelt Rd. Taipei, Taiwan 10646

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