By Henrietta Billings - 20th January 2004
MEPs on Monday called for action against the influence of the sex industry and its "insidious invasion" of people's daily lives.
"Only a few years ago, if you wanted pornography and prostitution you really had to look for it; today we have to make an effort to avoid it," said Swedish MEP Marianne Eriksson at a public hearing in Brussels on the multi-billion euro sex industry.
"We come across sex for sale in our emails, in our mobile phones and on television on a daily basis."
"Such a well equipped industry can easily remain one step ahead of law makers, and can profit from any existing gaps in the law, for example, in relation to internet and audiovisual policy," said the MEP who has written a report on the subject.
"In my report, I demand that the Commission and the EU member states act to fill those gaps," she added.
Eriksson does not call for EU harmonised rules in this area - which vary greatly between member states but her report includes recommendations for legislation.
The MEP used the example of Sweden as a model where it is illegal to buy or try to buy sexual services, and prostitution is considered part of sexualised violence.
"Only the 1999 Swedish law, which penalises the customer allows a unique focus on the demand side. For the first time in history, prostitutes are treated as equal to other women and men are made accountable."
Eriksson's report will be voted in the European Parliament's women's rights committee on 18 February and voted in plenary at the beginning of March. But it is not binding on EU governments.
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