WUNRN
European Parliament FEMM - Committee
on Women's Rights & Gender Equality
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International Business Times - Human
Rights
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WOMEN'S RIGHTS
COMMITTEE VOTES FOR PENALISING PROSTITUTE CLIENTS IN "NORDIC
MODEL"
Mary Honeyball's report into Nordic Model of prostitution voted through European Parliament committee.
By Hannah Osborne | January 23, 2014
The European Parliament's Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Committee has voted through a report that recommends the adoption of the
'Nordic Model' of prostitution laws.
Put forward by Mary Honeyball, Labour MEP for
The model was recently voted through in the French
parliament. Led by Women's Rights Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the bill
means anyone found paying for sex will be fined €1,500 (£1,250) for a first
offence. If caught a second time, the fine would be increased to €3,000.
Fourteen of the European Parliament committee members voted
in favour of the Swedish model, with two against and six abstentions.
The passing of the vote sends a strong signal in regards to
This will take place at one of the
The Nordic model has proved highly successful in
Commenting on the vote, Honeyball said: "This is a
fantastic outcome. It will form a key part of the sea-change taking place in
the way we view prostitution across
"The majority of prostituted women in the
"With
"As a British MEP I am particularly keen to see the UK
Government come down off the fence and take a clear stance on the issue."
Brendan Wynne, spokesman for Equality Now, also welcomed the
vote: "It is vital that survivors of sex trafficking and sexual
exploitation are listened to when recommending policy on prostitution.
"Global networks such as 'Sex Trafficking Survivors
United' suggest that we need to target the demand which fuels the inherently
violent sex industry. This is what Mary Honeyball MEP's FEMM Committee report
proposes and we fully agree. The report recommends adopting the 'Nordic Model',
which criminalises pimping, brothel keeping and buying sex, decriminalises
people in prostitution and provides exiting services and support.
"This has already been effective in countries with
higher levels of gender equality, such as