Fines of 3,000 euros for clients of prostitutes. The new model of Municipal Abolitionist Ordinance drawn up within the framework of the Valencian Forum for the Abolition of Prostitution establishes sanctions of up to 3,000 euros for those who demand paid sex, as well as intermediaries and premises where this “form of gender-based violence” is exercised. ».
The Generalitat Valenciana has urged the city councils of the region to approve the Ordinance to eradicate prostitution. According to the Minister of Justice, it includes in its articles the prohibition of the demand for prostitution, it is a “historical” milestone since the consistories have an instrument that allows to capture “what a decent society has to be, What happens to abolish prostitution?
In his opinion, it is a “very important” step because the municipalities have a “very exhaustive” knowledge of the reality of each town, of the situation of women and of the public spaces where “they are trapped”.
With this ordinance, in addition, he considers that prostitution goes from being considered a “public order problem”, as it is in force in many municipalities, to seeing it as a human rights problem that there is an obligation to eradicate. Bravo has been sure that many councils will join and that she will mean giving the message to the central government that she must take “a step forward” to achieve this goal.
During her speech, Gabriela Bravo defended that local corporations have “sufficient skills and capacities to be in the forefront of the eradication of prostitution through municipal ordinances, which are a very powerful instrument for making a difference between those municipalities who protect the dignity of all people and those who, to their shame and ours, abdicate it”.
In this sense, he has given as examples the cases of Albal and Quart de Poblet, “pioneers” in the approval of abolitionist ordinances, and has lamented the existence of “that shameful ordinance of the Alicante City Council that criminalizes women in prostitution and makes them responsible for their situation, without noticing that it is an unequal and unfair system that subjects them and deprives them of a life worthy of rights”.
Precisely Albal, as reported by the consistory in a statement, has already fined 20 men who paid for sex or while having sex in the town, eight of whom have already paid the penalties. The mayor, Ramón Marí, has announced that he will bring to the information session on Monday the modification of the municipal ordinance abolitionist of prostitution and sexual exploitation to adhere to the model of the Generalitat, which increases the sanction up to 3,000 euros.
The councilor recalled that the scientific studies carried out by the Forum have revealed that in the three provinces there are between 10,000 and 13,000 women in prostitution. “And if the offer is that big, it is because there are men willing to pay for it. This is the only way to understand that 20 percent of Valencian men over the age of 18 – one in five – admit that they have paid for sex at some time. in your life,” he said.
The model of abolitionist ordinance, which has been made available to all the municipalities of the Valencian Community, includes in its articles the prohibition of the demand for prostitution, which it considers a serious infraction, and sanctions it with fines of up to 1,500 euros .
In addition, if this demand occurs less than 200 meters from an educational center, from places with an influx of children or from the celebration of a festive or sports event, it is considered a very serious offense and is sanctioned with a fine of up to 3,000 euros. In the same way, those who collaborate with the demanders of paid sex as intermediaries (pimps) or people who alert to the presence of law enforcement agents may be sanctioned.
On the other hand, it also prohibits advertising that promotes the consumption of prostitution, which it considers a minor infraction, and sanctions it with fines of up to 750 euros. In this case, both the person who materially executes the advertising act (such as distributing brochures) and the advertiser will be responsible.
An important part of the model ordinance recognizes women in prostitution as victims of gender violence. For this reason, prostituted people will not be punished in any case and will promote aid policies to get them out of their situation.
In this sense, the model ordinance provides for the approval of comprehensive municipal action plans, which contain measures so that women in a situation of prostitution have access to services and resources that allow them to leave the prostitution system. This plan will include social, labor, training and housing support actions.
According to Bravo, “we are the first autonomous community to make an abolitionist ordinance model available to municipalities, which makes us a reference for other territories committed to equality between men and women, as well as to the eradication of all forms of gender violence, including the purchase of women’s bodies”.
The councilor has announced that she will continue demanding a Comprehensive Law for the Abolition of Prostitution from the central government. However, “from the Consell del Botànic we are not going to sit idly by because we have already launched the modification of the Law on Shows in the Valencian Community, which is currently undergoing a public hearing”.
This rule contemplates the sanction of those establishments that allow or favor prostitution, the prohibition of advertising that incites or encourages prostitution or any form of sexual exploitation and the administrative sanction of the demand for prostitution in public premises and establishments.
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