UN Geneva - Multimedia Newsroom : HRC – Press conference: UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls

Good afternoon and welcome to

United Nations in Geneva.

Welcome to this press conference with Reem al

Salm.

Three years ago, the Human Rights Council appointed Ms Al

Salm to carry out the mandate of the

special rapporteur on violence against Women and girls,

its causes and consequences.

as it happens, this year marks the 30th anniversary of this important mandate.

Ms. Alim

is an independent consultant on gender issues, the rights of refugees, migrants,

transitional justice

and humanitarian response.

She consulted extensively with the United Nations departments,

agencies and programmes such as UN women,

the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,

UNICEF,

the International Organisation for Migration

as well as non governmental organisations, think tanks and academia.

Ms. Alm

worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

as an international civil servant in 13 countries

where she planned implemented and monitored programmes

that serve to protect survivors of gender based violence,

particularly women and girls.

On Friday just gone, Ms Al Salm

presented her latest report to the council with the

theme of prostitution and violence against women and girls.

Uh, she will now make a short statement,

and after this we will take questions

just a reminder. Please state your name and your media

and miss as

you have the floor. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Also, for all journalists and media that have joined us as was mentioned,

I presented my report on violence against women and girls and prostitution.

I chose to present the report on this issue for a number of reasons,

one of them being my concern about the increased

commodification of the sexual and reproductive functions of women

and its normalisation in society and the wide reaching harm that it

has on gender equality but also relations between men and women.

And the other reason I chose to this subject is because

so far we have not had in the UN a comprehensive

study or report on the human rights

consequences of prostitution.

There are different reports on parts of the issue,

but there hasn't been a comprehensive one,

and it has certainly not been analysed in relation to human rights standards.

So this report or in preparation for this report, I presented a call for input.

I want to assure everyone that

there was

a

lot of engagement on the report.

I was very pleased to see that I received 300 submissions in response

to the call for input in which 60 countries were mentioned that cover

seven geographical regions.

And I also personally held seven consultations with 86 persons that represent

women with lived experiences in prostitution,

some of them that have exited for that group.

I even held one consultation

that was specifically with them dedicated to them.

But then the rest were civil society organisations where

NGOs were experts,

UN agencies,

et cetera.

So in the report,

I categorically conclude that prostitution is a

system of inequality and discrimination based on sex

and other intersecting grounds,

which affects a woman's ability to achieve equality.

Three groups of actors take part in the system of exploitation and abuse,

individuals who are usually men and boys who buy sexual acts.

The victims, usually women and girls who are bought to satisfy these sexual acts,

and third parties who organise or profit

or benefit from prostituting women and girls.

The term prostitution system is what I feel adequately and correctly reflects

my finding that prostitution is intrinsically linked to

different forms of violence against women and girls,

and that constitutes a form of violence in and of itself.

So within that I also define and understand pornography to

be a part of prostitution in that it is filmed prostitution

and I dedicate also extensive parts of the report to it.

Terminology was a main focus of this report and you will see that

I use the terms prostituted women and girls rather than sex worker.

I also use the term exploitation of prostitution of women and girls

rather than sex work because they align with international human rights law

and because the terms sex work and sex worker

sanitise and hide the harms experienced by women and girls.

Most of the women and girls with lived experiences

also reject these terms sex work and sex worker

because in their view and according to them,

it gaslights them.

It gaslights their experience and experience of extreme

violence and violations of their fundamental human rights.

As I say in my report,

the development of prostitution systems

is heavily influenced by patriarchal norms

and the accompanying abuse of power and sexual demand by men,

and it is exacerbated in recent decades by

globalisation where everything can be bought and sold.

It is exacerbated by economic inequalities conflict, occupation,

increased militarization, destruction of ecosystems by extractive industries,

the legacies of colonialism,

war complex emergencies and humanitarian consequences.

All which result in the further marginalisation

and forced displacement of women and girls.

Women and girls face multiple and

intersecting forms of discrimination and equalities,

and therefore are amongst the most susceptible to enter,

engage or remain in prostitution and therefore also

are among the most exposed to violence.

I also present example on how prostitution thrives on sexualizing and racial

poverty, targeting women,

particularly those from minorities and marginalised backgrounds.

So I say how it sexualize, for example, black women, Asian

women and also

depends very much on a steady inflow and

sort of disposal availability of migrant women.

As a result, prostituted women and girls often have irregular status,

no access to effective assistance,

protection services or livelihood opportunities,

and collectively,

all these conditions increase their risk of further exploitation,

sexual assault and coercion.

In a nutshell.

Prostitution results in egregious human rights violations and

multiple forms of violence against women and girls,

where they are often dehumanised and perceived as persons without human rights.

It violates the rights of women and girls to dignity, privacy,

freedom of movement and the right to form a family.

These acts often constitute torture in human and degrading treatment,

and they constitute physical, psychological and economic forms of violence,

both online and offline.

The perceived right of men to purchase a sex act

normalises the systematic violence inflicted on women through prostitution,

including in pornography,

because it erases the boundaries between what counts

as sex and what counts as sexual violence.

And it has far reaching impact on shaping the sexual expectations of men and boys.

Furthermore,

the equal participation of women in society

becomes impossible to achieve when we normalise prostitution

as it is fundamentally based on inequality between men and women.

Digitally facilitated prostitution also promotes trafficking of

women and girls for sexual exploitation.

In the report,

I also review the different legal and policy

models adopted by states that exist on prostitution.

There are states that have a prohibition approach.

Many of them that actually don't even acknowledge that

prostitution exists prefer to turn away from it.

There is the regulation approach,

there is the decriminalisation approach and then there is the abolition approach.

I believe that reviewing applicable international standards,

particularly those relating to the duty not

to discriminate against women and girls,

the right to dignity,

their duty to protect from violence as well as protect Children from violence.

I believe that the best model that we have available in order to

improve the prevention and response to

violence against women and girls in prostitution

is actually the abolitionist model

otherwise known as the equality model.

I also call on states, therefore, to recognise prostitution,

including pornography, as a system of exploitation and violence.

And I remind states of the responsibilities to abolish laws that allow,

tolerate or condone the violence and exploitation

of women and girls in prostitution,

including pornography.

The abolitionist model, or equality model, has five pillars,

which I'm briefly going to mention

and thereby also say why it is the most the best model available. First of all,

it relies on decriminalising women and girls in prostitution,

meaning considering them as victims.

Second is to provide them comprehensive support and exit pathways.

Third, and this is really important,

which is to criminalise the purchase of sexual acts

in order to address the issue of demand,

because until we address the issue of demand for sexual acts,

we will not be able to abolish prostitution.

Then there is also the criminalization of all forms of pimping

and finally implementing sanitization campaigns for sexual acts. Buyers.

I do believe that when we refer to prostitution and human rights based

terminology and language must be used at all times to describe it.

We must prevent also the weaponization of anti

trafficking policies to avoid addressing this issue of prostitution

as a form of violence against women and

girls by creating a harmful and artificial disassociation between

so called quote unquote forced prostitution

assimilated to trafficking from so called quote

unquote free prostitution assimilated

to sex work. And in fact, as you will see in the report

and as international human rights Law says, the

concept of consent in the situation of prostitution is

irrelevant because these are situations of extreme abuse exploitation

and therefore we cannot speak really of consent in such conditions.

So I will stop here and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you,

Ms

Alim,

for your statement. Now we're ready to start taking questions.

Are there any for the special rapporteur?

Uh, yes. Over here.

Uh, just before you speak, can you just say who you are and who you represent.

Thank you.

Yeah, Paula, you probably

be some a a freelance journalist.

Um, I, uh, wanted to ask you. Well, the first of all,

uh, if I was late, it's because there's another event.

Um, that's taking place,

uh, in another room, presenting the opposite. Um,

argument. Um, I just wanted to understand a little bit better. I mean,

prostitution has been around for as long as humanity has been around.

And and I think that there have been attempts to perhaps legalise in the past, um,

which have not been successful.

What the what?

People are arguing.

Um, other people are arguing is that,

uh, the,

um

by decriminalising you're actually giving women

all all rights? Um, that

that

you seem to say they would not have through de decriminalise

decriminalisation.

Um, I'm just wondering exactly what

you know. How you,

uh,

uh

uh would like to address,

um, the fundamental issues.

I mean, how how those fundamental issues should be addressed.

I mean, in the end, it's an issue of of poverty. These women are actually,

uh, they may not have, uh, other options,

uh, to to to, you know, to to make a living.

Uh, so yeah,

I'd like to to understand a little bit how you'd

like to like to address those sort of more fundamental issues

in in a time Where,

uh both you know, countries, states as well as,

um organisations that may be helping uh, women, uh

are, uh, challenged in terms of, uh resources.

Yes, Thank you for that question.

So you made reference to a side event that is happening where

civil society groups,

at least some of them are advocating for complete

legalisation of all aspects of prostitution and decriminalisation.

I wish to highlight that ahead of my report I actually consulted with a wide range of

of civil society organisations and as I said,

women with experience with lived experience

the vast majority of

organisations and actors I engaged with do favour

the equality model that I spoke about.

In fact,

within this proposal there are things that we agree on

with those advocating for legalising all aspects of prostitution.

There are two things that we agree on Actually one is that the women

themselves should be decriminalised, meaning they should not be

put in prison. They should not have a criminal record.

They should not be treated as criminals shouldn't be deported.

They should be treated as victims

and by referring to them as victims. We are actually

we are not saying anything degrading.

We are saying that they have

experienced fundamental violations of their human rights

and that they are entitled to reparations. They are entitled to justice,

they are entitled to assistance and they are entitled to protection

and they are also entitled to participate fully

in designing solutions to their own issues.

So we agree on that.

Also, based on the input I have received,

those advocating for legalising all aspects of prostitution agree

that violence often happens in context of prostitution,

so there is no disagreement on that

now.

It is important, of course. I understand that there is underlying causes for why

women and Children

enter prostitution,

are en trapped on prostitution and then also find

it extremely difficult to leave even if they want.

One of them is the threats,

the control by pimps and those that benefit prostitution.

Other causes are, as you rightly mentioned,

the fact that often they have no other alternatives for livelihood.

However, that does not mean that we should then

ah,

condone it as in pretend that the immense violence and suffering the

experience in prostitution is not something that needs to be dealt with,

and the equality model proposes a way forward to dealing with

it in a way that puts the victim at the centre,

which is, as I said, the victim is you find a victim, you help the victim.

You don't harm the victim,

but you have to start addressing the demand. If we don't address the demand,

it will continue to exist, will continue to be normalised.

And as the report shows,

there is a direct relationship between normalising the buying of sexual act acts

and other problems in relations between men

and women in sexual exploitation expectations,

including by boys.

And also it gives it gives more room for

pimps and those benefiting to continue to operate.

As I have said in my report,

it is a problem that we try to make a distinction between prostitution

that happens in the context of trafficking and prostitution.

That happens sort of or suggesting that that what happens outside and

to treat to deal with the

forced prostitution through anti trafficking legislation,

because

anti trafficking legislation and efforts have shown to have

failed in really protecting women in saving women in,

uh, cracking down on pimps in, uh, in in also,

um, uh, ho holding everyone and all industry, all those that benefit from

the exploitation of women accountable.

Uh, and and trafficking is not the only human rights lens.

We have to also look exactly at the experience,

and it's horrendous things that happen to women.

So even those women that may have entered not doing the full

consequence of what this entails quickly find out the full consequence.

But by the time they find out, it is impossible to leave with huge,

huge ramifications for their physical health for their

their lives, their life of their Children

and also

their psychological well being. So

so yeah,

So we cannot also let states off the hook by pretending

that this is normal and that this should be normalised.

States have a responsibility to take care of the most vulnerable of their society.

We always talk about not leaving

anyone.

We understand that gender equality is necessary

for the development and prosperity of nations,

so we cannot let states off the hook,

particularly when some states are adamant to even benefit from

the exploitation and abuse of women and girls by taxing

women and girls and prostitution.

Thank you, Nina.

Thank you. Uh, Nina Larson. A FP.

So just, um, a follow up on what you were just talking about.

Um I know there are, uh, people who are in prostitution who say that they choose to be,

uh, to do so,

um, what do you say to them? And then also the issue of, uh, criminalization.

Um uh, of the The men are in this situation.

Uh, there.

There have been worries about that driving,

driving this underground and making it more difficult to detect.

So if you had, uh, thoughts on that issue

and I had a separate question, um,

you mentioned, um pro,

uh, sorry. Pornography and, uh, the expectations among, uh,

young men. And I guess also, girls perhaps, uh uh, what their sexual Expecta

expectations are.

Could you, uh, address the issue of pornography in the context of, um,

of the Internet, where it's where, you know, it's become much more prevalent.

And, um, what you sort of see,

in the case of, uh, young people growing up today, uh,

if you think you know How big a problem do you think

that is for young people today? Thank you.

Yeah. Thank you. Um,

as I said in the council earlier this morning, of course, organisations that

claim to speak on behalf of women and girls and

prostitution there are those that represent those with lived experiences.

But there is also a group amongst them

that represent the interests of pimps

and traffickers and businesses that benefit from prostitution.

Because in addition to prostitution being a system of exploitation,

it's also a business model.

It has shown to have attracted and led to the proliferation

also of other illegal and criminal activities like money laundering,

trafficking in human beings, et cetera.

So it is. It brings profit. And I think this is the main issue, that

it's the elephant in the room. We know that

prostituting women and girls is an issue that brings about profit.

And therefore we have to take also

everything we hear you know, with a pinch of salt

and also

acknowledge that

when it comes to designing

policies, for example, around prostitution,

some groups that represent

women and girls that are victims survivors that

wish to follow the abolitionist model that I've just spoken about

that. Do not agree with the legalisation of all aspects of prostitution.

Get sidelines, get attacked. Do not get invited to these policy discussions.

They are not tied to powerful lobbies with a lot of money.

And so when you know when I'm asked such as was the case in the morning,

you have to make sure that you speak to all those that have been affected.

Well,

I am doing that precisely because

this consultation and this report actually offered

the opportunity for voices that are usually shunned and undermined, to be heard

and to come forward and to speak about what they also would like to

to be done about this.

I have reviewed the models and I have reviewed the data

that is available on the consequences of the different policy models.

And I would disagree that the equality model,

based on what we have seen in terms of results in France, in Sweden, in

Iceland,

in a number of countries that have applied

this equality model that I have mentioned to you

has resulted in an increase in the problem on the contrary,

because

in fact,

legalising all aspects of prostitution is what leads to

the flourishing of pimping leads to the flourishing of demand

leads to the flourishing of violence and

and the continued abuse of women within that context also continues.

So we have to look at the data. I have published

the vast majority of the input that I have received ahead of this consultation.

There are now around I think, 280 pieces of input received.

And you and others can see for yourself the amount of data that exists

to describe the different models and

and and the outcome of those Yeah.

Yeah, um,

follow up on that.

I just I would be interested if if you could, uh,

you mentioned a few countries if you could, uh,

provide us with some examples of the

different other countries in the different categories.

Um, and then also, I had a second part of my question, which you didn't answer,

which was on pornography.

Uh, thank you. Yes, Absolutely.

Uh, So I, um

I

wanted to also say, actually,

before I get to pornography that I came to this report with a very open mind.

In fact,

I was one of those that had used the term sex work in the past.

In fact, in the context of two reports,

of course, as experts,

we cannot be expected to be on top or profoundly

know every single issue we're going to write about.

But just to say that I came to it really without any predisposed positions.

But I have to also listen to the evidence and listen to the victims and

have come therefore to the conclusion that this

is not the right terminology with regards to pornography

again, a very eye opening aspect of the report.

Also, because of its immense normalisation

in society,

we are seeing actually very concerning,

wide unlimited access by particularly, I would say, adolescents to pornography.

And many of the young boys and girls

get the information on sexual activity from Point,

which again is a business model

which is based, which also thrives on

bringing in new elements, you know,

but also in the hope of keeping their users

hooked and interested and come back for more.

Uh, it's becoming also more and more violent.

So you have a situation where in particular, uh, young adolescent males

uh uh, boys, but also men are therefore consuming pornography

that is becoming more and more violent where you know, things such as,

um, choking is normalised defecation.

Uh, gagging. I mean, really things that put the lives of women and girls at risk.

So as a result, girls are being asked also more and more to do things that are

that they are uncomfortable with. They are increasingly sexualized and porn.

And

there is evidence to show also that a number of sex offenders

in a number of countries are becoming more and more younger.

I think in the last few months we've heard of two gang rapes in

Belgium, for example, I'm also a Belgian citizen. So I follow the news in Belgium

in the UK. I think there has been also,

you know, reports showing that

the young adolescents are becoming also

offenders involved in sexual rape and abuse of

of girls. And, uh,

it's a world that is,

uh is becoming is therefore becoming more

and more dangerous for girls and is shaping

really the the relations between, uh uh yeah, yeah.

Ma males and females, men and, uh, and women.

Uh, Paula, did you have a follow up?

Actually, I'm just thinking I, I just wanted to give my my colleagues

a chance to ask questions. But,

you know, on the issue of economic need, I don't think you answered that, Uh,

you know that part of my question either.

I have in the sense that

one of the pillars of the Equality model is

that you also have to provide women with appropriate exit

relevant exit modalities, so

you have to give them assistance and support.

You have to give them support in housing.

But interestingly enough, also,

many of the women need also psychological and medical support.

Often when it comes to medical assistance, we talk a lot

about HIV AIDS and harm reduction in HIV AIDS.

But a lot of these women are addicted, unfortunately,

to be able to deal with the reality to drugs to alcohol.

They, as I said, are suffering from immense trauma

and so there needs to be a web of immediate support.

First, in order to allow women to make also

decisions about whether you know they can exit, you have to also support them in,

you know, training,

providing them alternative livelihood measures.

So all these are programmes that have to be put

in place in order to help women exit prostitution.

It's not enough to say that you are decriminalised.

You have to be provided with alternatives. And

all the women I've spoken to have said that if they had other

viable alternatives for themselves and their Children, because in the end,

why do they have to do that?

Many of them do this also because they need to feed their Children.

They need to take care of family. There is no other alternatives.

Some of them get forced into it, obviously because of war and conflict, et cetera,

and abuse of.

But there are women who have to do this because

of being impoverished because of having no other livelihood opportunity.

But it's the easy way out for states, then to say, Well, this is the reality.

This has been around for God knows how long

and it will continue to exist and then sit back and do nothing about it.

And I am trying to challenge this normalisation.

Thank you for that. Um

and, uh,

yes. There's a question over here. Thank you.

Thank you so much. My name is Mohammed from Turkey's another

agency.

Thank you for the brief.

My question is

I

was wondering what would you like to say about

the situation of women and girls in Gaza?

Did you

include them

in your report? Also specifically after especially 7

October.

So my report didn't speak about women and girls in Gaza specifically,

but in the section that looks at the causes of violence causes of prostitution.

As I mentioned in my opening remarks, obviously conflicts

dire humanitarian settings

contribute also to

women and girls being entrapped in

trafficking, being en trapped in prostitution, slavery,

forced marriages. We see all this proliferate in situations of conflict.

Any more questions in the room?

Ok, any questions online for the special rapporteur?

Ok, I see none.

So with that I will draw close to this press conference and

give my thanks to Ms Al

Salm

and hope to see you all following the council which concludes we hope on July 12th.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

HRC – Press conference: UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls - 24 June 2024