Thread by @EllyArrow

One of Germanys biggest news magazines, Der Spiegel, headlines:

"We will be ashamed"

Deploring 20 years of failed German #prostitution policy.

Here's the story of how the law let women down, the people (often survivors) ringing the alarm & the politicians admitting the mistake

The article opens with the story of "Lena" (20), the victim of a "loverboy" pimp, a trafficker who makes their victim think they're in a loving relationship - in Lena's case a martial arts world champion. Atypical about her story is that he got sentenced to 6 years and 3 months.

Lena's story is not a singular case, the article explains. There are countless women and some men & trans people trafficked to Germany annually. Most traffickers dont have a day in court nevermind the men literally paying to rape, the latter's actions are only criminal since 2017

The 2002 law legalizing brothel keeping and removing the categorization of prostitution as an "immoral act" was supposed to protect women and offer better "workplaces". The hope was to improve access to social insurance, health care, and legal rights e.g. in cases of non-payment.

The reality of #prostitution in Germany 20 years later? Out of an estimated 250.000 in the trade, only 23.700 are registered, many lack health insurance & social security. Countries of origin plus expert evaluations show: The industry is based in poverty, distress and trafficking

"The liberal laws increase demand and thus also #humantrafficking," says senior public prosecutor Peter Holzwarth from Stuttgart. "We have a reputation like Thailand," says former Kriminaloberrat Helmut Sporer, who investigated the prostitution industry for about 30 years.

Men who pay for legal German #prostitution rate the "fuckability" of women online. One raves about the "teen pussy" of a woman called Izy. Another reports: "she lets herself be fucked hard in a really relaxed way". Another writes: "You can beat and strangle her, no problems."

Today many of the politicians who originally initiated Germany's liberal #prostitution policy are unwilling or unable to defend it: Several could not be reached for comment, while a major Green politician admitted that illegal and poverty-based prostitution had no doubt increased

Former Chief Superintendent Manfred Paulus comments: "Pimping has never been as big as it is today. [...] The laws benefit the perpetrators and abandon the victims [...]. It is sex slavery. [Victims] say, 'I [do this] voluntarily,' because they're intimidated and frightened."

Lena shares more of her story: Her pimp put ecstasy in her drink to incapacitate her before he brought her to a brothel for the first time, there he was already exploiting two other women. Lena watched them kneel before him, while he counted the money. Lena tried to escape.

20-year-old Lena still lived with her parents, so when she escaped back to their house, her pimp followed her in his BMW threatening to cut her father's throat if she refused to submit. In shock, she acquiesced, telling her parents she was going to Berlin to stay with a friend.

From then on Lena lived in the room where she endured rape at the hands of the men who paid 50€ for a blowjob and vaginal penetration. Cunnilingus, fingering, and kissing cost 20€ extra. Her pimp kept plying Lena with drugs and alternating between consoling and raping her.

Alicia, a #prostitution survivor from Romania (36% of registered women in 🇩🇪 are from 🇷🇴) says:

"You're afraid of every man who comes in, never knowing what will happen. Some think you're their slave because they've paid. I often hit back, when they got violent. Zero respect."

Two experts argue that current German #prostitution policy violates Art. 1 of the country's constitution:

"Human dignity is unimpeachable."

The state doing nothing while women are forced to submit to the sexual whims of strange men for survival does not meet these standards.

Social ethicist Elke Mack argues #prostitution violates sexual agency, as the vast majority for fear of economic or violent reprisal cannot say:

"Stop."

"I'm done."

"I don't want this."

"This hurts."

"Please be careful."

This situation constitutes sexual violence.

The only systematic study into violence in the German sex trade shows: 41% had incurred injuries (broken bones, facial injuries, burns, dislocated joints, etc.) in #prostitution, usually at the hands of buyers or pimps. A fourth expressed suicidality.

https://t.co/bDCkB1JGpWbmfsfj.de/resource/blob/…

There are almost no successful prosecutions of men accidentally or intentionally paying to rape a trafficking victim. The risk of getting caught is nearly zero as the burden of proof in court is too high. This is according to the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony.

The case of the mega-brothel chain "Paradise" potently illustrates how German #prostitution law protects sex traffickers: Officially a "clean" and "ethical" brothel staffed by voluntary women, it was really largely supplied for a decade plus by the Hell's Angels.

Pimps exploiting women at the legal (!) mega-brothel-chain "Paradise" beat their victims so brutally blood splattered against the ceiling.

It took years to bring the perpetrators to justice, as the public & media kept falling for the brothel's PR gimmicks

"It requires immense effort to catch human traffickers," says criminal investigator Peter Holzwarth. "We lack personnel to do in-depth investigations like we did with the Paradise brothel. 3 out of 4 women are being forced. We have to decrease demand and criminalize sex buyers."

The "Nordic Model" of #prostitution law was pioneered in Sweden (since adopted in 7 other countries and jurisdictions) and...

- Criminalizes (usually fines) sex buyers
- Criminalizes all profiteers (no legal pimping)
- Decriminalizes & supports women
- Invests in prevention

While support for the Nordic Model is increasing among German politicians, many still hold out hope that the 2017 amendments (mandatory registration, mandatory condom use, more requirements for brothel owners) will somehow stem the tide of abuse. They want to wait for evaluation.

Meanwhile, an unknown number though likely tens of thousands of women are being raped every day.

Another former head police officer comments: "Every victim is one too many. Pimps rape women till they break. They call it 'breaking in'. Women do not report it. They're too afraid."

Many victims need time to recognize they're being exploited: Alexandra (29) from Bulgaria says it took her years to see being forced to endure 10 men a day by her loverboy pimp was violence. When she tried to leave due to a pregnancy he attacked her with a knife.

The situation is particularly dire on the streets where women have to endure penetration for 5-20€. In Berlin, local authorities have put up eco-friendly public toilets which are supposed to double as mini hourly brothels. Inside it smells of urine and feces. This is all legal.

Labor parliamentarian Leni Breymaier who has stood against the exploitative legal German sex trade for years says:

"There will come a time when we in Germany will feel ashamed of what we have done to these young women from Eastern Europe [...] It's the slave trade of our time."

Lena's story makes clear buyers are not "bystanders": Up to 40 men per day raped her, ignoring signs of serious distress & illness. Some voiced concern, but not one called the police. She had to manage her own escape.

"Today when someone smiles at me, I can no longer return it."

@lindamacnst 2005. There has not been a comprehensive one since then though evidence from localized NGOs is concerning.

@lindamacnst I linked the English summary of the study. Keyword search "prostitute" and find all the information.

@KWcomeuntome Yes but not quickly enough.