Sex Work: But what is preparing the UMP?
On January 21, 2010, Chantal Brunel MP for the UMP in Seine et Marne is in few weeks the third personality of the majority party to talk about the reopening of brothels within an article in Le Monde (1) and the publication of her book on violence against women.
We remember the release of Christine Boutin (2), who retracted the following day after the remonstrances of anti-prostitution organizations. We also know that the MPs Elie Aboud and Isabelle Vasseur are currently in charge of a parliamentary report on policies to carry on prostitution. Elie Aboud, a member of the UMP in Hérault was interviewed in the Midi Libre (3) and said he would not rule out the idea of reopening brothels.
If we can only be happy on the common finding about the failure of repressive policies against soliciting and look forward to repeal these laws, we wonder greatly about what they have in store for us.
Indeed, our politicians continue to carry the usual cliches, ignoring the demands of sex workers (4), and our very existence as a social movement. It should be reminded to them that sex workers speak since at least 1975, when occured the occupation of churches in Lyons and in several cities of France.
STRASS has already sent a request to meet both UMP parliamentarians responsible for a report and is still looking forward their response.
If we are concerned, it is because what appears so far from the interviews with national representatives is greater control: medical supervision, fiscal control and migration control. Nobody wants their brothels. (5)
We would like them to understand that we are everything but a shapeless mass of clandestine invading migrants, diseases transmitters, and tax evaders. We are human beings.
They should know that most of us already pay taxes, that we are often the best actresses of prevention, and better placed to fight against trafficking in human beings again and still confused with immigration.
We demand to meet these parliamentarians.
We are not the problem. We are part of the solution.
(1) http://www.lemonde.fr/opinions/article/2010/01/21/violences-faites-aux-femmes-place-aux-actes-par-chantal-brunel_1294812_3232.html
(2) http://www.rue89.com/rue69/2009/11/25/christine-boutin-prete-a-rouvrir-les-maisons-closes-sur-le-papier
(3) http://www.midilibre.com/articles/2009/11/28/A-LA-UNE-Elie-Aboud-Au-moins-encadrer-les-prostituees-1015675.php5
(4) http://www.lesputes.org/declaration.htm (Déclaration des Droits Des TravailleuSEs du Sexe En Europe)