The Aspect of Forced Prostitution Forgotten

As a journalist, I have so far considered your publication to be a reliable and reputable source. That‘s why the report “Men who pay for sex” really surprises me (1). The study suggests that a Swedish-style ban on buying sex could discourage paying sex customers from medical care and prevention. This is a large leap in logic! And wrongly justified at that. The authors claim that the criminalization of paying for sex does not quell demand. This is demonstrably wrong. In Sweden, where a ban on buying sex has been in force for over 20 years, there are 6.65 to 15.4 women in prostitution per 100 000 inhabitants. In Germany, this number is 185 to 493.3. Between 2006 and 2014, there were still 650 to 1 500 women in prostitution working in Sweden, and 150 000 to 400 000 in Germany (2).

If you are worried about the health of Germans, then you should urgently take a look at them from the perspective of the women in prostitution. In Germany, we have an estimated 400 000 women who sell their bodies, with 90% to 95% being forced to do so. Those forced into prostitution have no access to health care, no insurance, and no money for doctor visits. They have to endure sexual practices that come with a high risk of infection (3). The customers of these women—many hundreds of thousands of whom go to women in forced prostitution each day—present a great danger for their wives and partners.