The debate throws up curious alliances: CUP, Cs, En Com, Junts, ERC and, to a large extent, the PNV, advocate regulating sex work against the PP, PSOE and part of Podemos that ask for the abolition
The plenary session of Congress has started the countdown to abolish prostitution and punish “in general” pimping. It will, however, be a process with twists and turns because, although the Chamber will knock down the CUP’s proposal to replace the prohibition and punishment with the regulation of sex work, the debate has put on the table curious alliances such as that of Ciudadanos with the CUP and ERC and, even, in many points, with the PNV and Junts and in front of them a block that has united PSOE, PP and a good part, although not all, of United We Can.
At the time of voting, the division that exists between the two formations that support the Government has once again become evident: on the one hand, the socialists, authors of the abolitionist bill, and, on the other, the purples, whose Catalan branch –In Com– commitment to regulation and, consequently, has supported the CUP proposal.
The PSOE’s bill, which will now continue to be processed in Congress pending the partial amendments presented by the groups and which, surely, will be many, aims to modify the article 187 of the Penal Code in order to impose a prison sentence of three to six years and a fine of 18 to 24 months to whom, by means of violence, intimidation, or abuse of superiority or due to the need or vulnerability of the victim, forces her to practice prostitution. It also proposes punishing clients of prostitution with fines of up to 24 months that rise to a prison sentence of between one and three years if it is exercised with minors.
In addition, the initiative punishes the so-called third location, that is, those who, for profit and habitually, give up premises where prostitution is practiced.
From this moment, the two government partners – PSOE and United We Can – will have to negotiate if they want their vote to be unanimous and also have the support of ERC, Junts and the PNV.
The amendment to the entire CUP, which has been rejected, proposes to include sex work in the Special Regime that contemplates the status of workers. This training raised the need to differentiate between consensual and uncoerced sexual services and non-consensual ones and above all to clearly establish the distinction between trafficking and prostitution; contemplated aid for women who wish to abandon the practice of prostitution and, in addition, was committed to introducing changes in the Law of Guarantees of Sexual Freedom so that the advertising of prostitution is not considered illegal.
The formations that have given support to the CUP amendment have accused the socialists of trying to impose a “morality” far removed from reality and have reminded them of their own maxim about the right to decide about one’s own body. The Socialists have responded by calling the CUP proposal “nonsense” and insisting that pimps are “criminals” and that the regulation of prostitution violates the principle of equality between men and women. the socialist deputy Laura Berja has accused the formations that have voted in favor of the CUP amendment of being “in favor” and “whitewashing” pimping.
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