Hungary Rights groups would prosecute clients of prostitutes in Hungary like in other countries

January 1, 2005

Frame :

Based on the Scandinavian model, NGOs would prosecute clients of prostitutes. In their opinion this would be an effective way of fighting against sexual exploitation. Politicians however would move towards legalizations – according to a study.

Comment: The first national Hungarian newspaper is publishing once again an article about prostitution, integrating components of sexual exploitation of minors (Read as well from the same author “Educators afraid of pimps”"and “Increasing number of underage prostitutes” both articles published in summer 2008).

Very unfortunately, if the journalist denounces the lack of knowledge of Hungarian officials regarding the phenomenon of trafficking of children through sexual exploitation, the article itself is adding to the confusion of the readers.

The Hungarian Women’s Foundation (MONA) is part of the human right’s group promoting the penalization of the clients of prostitutes, as it is already in the national law of several countries in Northern Europe. The reporter quotes the result of a study conducted by MONA in 2006, a*sking Parliamentary representatives (from all parties), state and local government officials, police chiefs about their point of view on prostitution and trafficking in human beings*.

The level of the answers is appalling: according to the some respondents, “deceit, taking away one’s freedom, taking passports away were not forms of violence." (…) “Almost all knew, that minors work in large numbers on the streets, or in brothels advertised online, but [respondents] did not consider this child prostitution, because for them the definition of it is that children are sexually undeveloped.”

The mix between the debate on legalization of prostitution, the penalization of clients and the phenomenon of underage boys and girls involved into the sex industry in the very center of Budapest, is leading to confusion. This confusion is regrettably present in many European countries.

These themes should be treated in a separated way: the prostitution of minors is corresponding to one of the worst violation of the UN Convention on the rights of the child. This text has been ratified by all countries of the globe (with two exceptions: Somalia and the US) and impose the national legislations to forbid the sexual exploitation of minors. The condition of the child must be considered at first, corresponding to specific protection schemes in priority.

So the real concern is not to be pro or against the legalization of prostitution, the crucial question must be: yes or no do we tolerate that children can fall into prostitution, how to prevent it? How to protect them? And how to prosecute effectively the clients of underage boys and girls? Once these questions are answered, the general debate about prostitution of adults and their links to trafficking in human beings may start.

Read the original article"here":http://www.nol.hu/belfold/20090528-a_prostitualtak_ugyfeleit_buntetnek_nalunk_is_a_jogvedok (in Hungarian)