Europe

NSWP Submission to European Parliament re Report on Sex Work

NSWP submitted this letter to Members of the European Parliament as they prepared to discuss the report, “Regulation of prostitution in the EU: its cross-border implications and impact on gender equality and women’s rights, 2022/2139(INI)”. 

The report, from the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality will be put to a vote in plenary on 14th September 2023.

NSWP called on all Members of the European Parliament to reject and to vote against the report.  

NSWP calls on MEPs to vote against sex work report

NSWP has submitted this letter to Members of the European Parliament as they prepare to discuss the report, “Regulation of prostitution in the EU: its cross-border implications and impact on gender equality and women’s rights, 2022/2139(INI)”. 

The report, from the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality will be put to a vote in plenary on 14th September.

The European Coalition on Sex Workers’ Rights and Inclusion have also published an Open Letter.

Sex workers in Europe Celebrate Victory at the European Court of Human Rights

NSWP welcomes the European Court of Human Rights decision to hear an appeal by sex workers against a French anti-sex work law. The ruling came on Thursday 31st August, more than three years after receiving an application from 261 sex workers challenging the 2016 ‘Prostitution Act’. NSWP join the European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance (ESWA) in applauding the 261 sex workers who stood up to pursue their fundamental rights.

Sex Workers in Portugal Welcome New Constitutional Court Ruling

In early May, Portugal's Constitutional Court declared the criminalisation of some third parties involved in sex work to be unconstitutional. Under current law in Portugal any form of organised sex work is prohibited, including brothel-keeping. Profiting from, promoting, encouraging or facilitating 'prostitution' are also criminal offences, and this also affects sex workers’ ability to work together and work safely[1].

NSWP urges the Dutch Government to reject amendments to Sex Work Regulation Act

The Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP), along with the European Sex Workers Alliance (ESWA), the Count Me In! consortium and other feminist organisations, urge the government of the Netherlands to reject amendments to the Wet Regulering Sekswerk (WRS) and work towards the full decriminalisation of sex work in the Netherlands.

NSWP Open Letter to the Prime Minister, the Government of Spain, and the leaders of all political parties in the Congress of Deputies regarding the legislative proposals to amend the Spanish Penal Code

NSWP have written an open letter to the Prime Minister, the Government of Spain, and the leaders of all political parties in the Congress of Deputies regarding the legislative proposals to amend the Spanish Penal Code and introduce new provisions regarding sex work. The proposed reforms include amending the Penal Code to extend the punishment of third parties to include non-coercive relationships and decouple it from exploitation and consent, violating sex workers’ right to housing and the security of sex workers, many of whom live and work in the same place.

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