By Brian Johnson - 12th June 2006
European justice commissioner Franco Frattini faces a grilling from MEPs in Strasbourg on Monday over forced prostitution during the World Cup in Germany.
The European parliament is demanding action by EU member states to prevent trafficking of women to work as prostitutes over June and July as a million, mostly male, soccer fans converge on Germany, where brothels are legal.
MEPs will use an oral question to Frattini as an opportunity to debate measures to combat trafficking and forced prostitution at major sporting events. Leading the criticism is Anna Záborská, chair of the European parliament’s women’s committee.
Záborská is highly critical of the German government and with Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who she argues should step forward and publicly condemn forced prostitution.
“While the head of world football refuses to condemn, even symbolically, the trafficking of women and forced prostitution, a mega brothel has opened in Berlin to cater for 3000 clients” said Záborská in an article in Monday’s Parliament Magazine.
“It is unacceptable that the German government should devote so little attention to this issue,” the Slovak MEP added.
Frattini will be presented with a 70,000 signature petition by the Danish trade union, 3F as well as a socialist group petition of 23,000 signatures.
President of PES women in the parliament, Zita Gurmai, who will present Frattini with the socialist petition, said there was deep unease across Europe about the sex industry's exploitation of women during the World Cup and a widespread suspicion that little has been done to prevent trafficking.
“We are not going to stop pressing the EU to take this issue seriously,” said Gurmai.
“All the evidence is that illegal trafficking of women and girls, and their exploitation by the sex industry is a problem that is becoming more and more serious."
"I will ask commissioner Frattini to report back after the World Cup with an assessment of the scale of the problem and of the actions taken."
"Beyond the World Cup there is a need for a real debate across Europe on tackling the root causes of trafficking for sexual exploitation - and that means how to reduce demand for prostitution.”
Záborská echoed Gurmai’s comments. “Buying sex from a prostitute does not solve problems that arise from loneliness, frustration or a lack of true relationships.”
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.