It is not the first time that a conflict with prostitution in the background is between Monica Oltra, Consell’s vice president, and Gabriela Bravo, head of Justice. Its different locations are well known and are highlighted once again. this time on the occasion of Bravo’s strategy to undertake the progress towards the removal of this practice in the Valencian Community. His proposal includes amending the Entertainment Law to introduce changes that include fining Brothels up to 60,000 euros, closing facilities where sexual services are allowed or preferred for up to three years in exchange for an economic benefit. However, this is a way that doesn’t quite convince the Minister for Equality, who thinks that “more than just punishment is needed” to eradicate prostitution and advocates listening to victims and making a rule that won’t harm them.
Oltra prefers to be prudent and not directly oppose the line that her partner in government is willing to follow for the time being. In this sense, it confirms that today it is only a preliminary project, that is, it has not been fully defined and therefore it has to go through a claim phase that can be contributed. In any case, in the words pronounced this Friday, the vice president showed his disagreement: “More than punitive measures are needed to eradicate prostitution.” In this sense, he stressed, like one from the University of Barcelona, that there are prestigious studies that show that sanctions-based policies “are wreaking havoc in the field of women who are “first and foremost victims of sexual exploitation or victims of prostitution.” However, he believes that a “broad brush discussion” cannot be built and this whole issue needs to be looked at from a broader perspective, which includes giving a voice to those affected. In this sense, he underlined that there is a sex worker union and that he should listen as he does in meetings.
“It is important that governments do not make despotic decisions.. That’s a hallmark of Botànic: Listening to people who have something to say, because they’re the first to be affected.” Those who are prostitutes, victims of sexual exploitation, or victims of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, insisted, “There’s no use playing around with nominalist arguments.” That prostitution could not be abolished simply by enacting a law.
Oltra highlighted all the actions taken by his department to address this complex phenomenon, such as the assumption of an interprofessional minimum wage in Valencia Participation Income when it comes to people, something that no other community is autonomous. or the Alba program “Pioneer in Spain”, which offers alternatives to prostitute women and contributes to minimizing risks. They were all promoted by their own department because none of the things they mentioned were approved by Justice.
The split on the Valencian left is a reflection of what is currently happening on the state stage where progressive formations of the Congress of Deputies have not agreed to move towards the abolition proposed by the PSOE.
Source: Informacion
