The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Thursday that a French law criminalizing clients of sex workers does not violate the Convention on Human Rights. The ruling came after a petition from 261 sex workers challenging the 2016 French law, which fines sex buyers up to €1,500. Opponents of prostitution have hailed the decision as a major victory, but the applicants argue that the law forces sex workers into hiding, making them more vulnerable to abuse, violence, and sexually transmitted infections.
Amnesty International criticized the ruling, stating that criminalizing sex work increases discrimination and jeopardizes the safety of sex workers. The organization’s Women’s Rights Researcher, Anna Błuś, emphasized that criminalization creates obstacles for sex workers to access critical services and can lead to abuse, violence, harassment, and extortion.
With the upcoming Olympic Games and an influx of tourists, French authorities are concerned about a potential rise in prostitution. The debate over how to approach sex work in Europe has been ongoing, with Belgium being the only country to decriminalize sex work in 2022. Other countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria have legalized sex work in some form. France and Sweden, however, criminalize the buying of sex with the aim of abolishing sex work entirely.
Various UN agencies and human rights organizations oppose the criminalization of buying sex, emphasizing the importance of protecting the rights and safety of sex workers. The ECHR’s ruling has generated mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a victory against prostitution while others see it as a missed opportunity to better protect sex workers.
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