Prostitution: On the News and in the Streets

Now this was definitely a topic that I didn't expect myself to cover on this blog. One of the many things that I've noticed in Spain that differs greatly from the United States is the practice of prostitution and its role in politics and society. Now, unlike the United States where prostitution is taboo and is only whispered about, I've come to notice that here in Spain it is openly discussed, openly practiced, and frequently covered on the news despite how much it is frowned upon. I've noticed that it a rising topic, something that wasn't heavily discussed before but is being discussed a lot now, especially as it seems like prostitutes are beginning to seek rights under Spanish law.

The biggest difference between the two countries and prostitution is its state of legality. While in Spain it is legal and unregulated, in the United States it is completely illegal. To my understanding however, prostitution through brothels and pimping is illegal in Spain, but I'm more than sure that it continues to occur in Spain. I'm not surprised by this outstanding difference especially because of the sense of sexuality that both countries hold. Spain is very open about the human body, a result of the rapid changes that took place after Franco's reign. It is very noticeable in the immense amount of sex shops that could be found in heavily concentrated areas. For example, in Sol there is one street that has at least 4-5 sex shops within mere feet of each other. Although we do have sex shop in the United States, they would never be found in the same concentration as they are in Spain and they are also often restricted to where they could be established. Now this isn't the case for every state in the U.S., there is one state (Nevada) that allows legal, regulated brothels to exist but they are EXTREMELY rare and only allowed in half of its counties.

(The Bunny Ranch, one of the most famous American Brothels)

Even with this, prostitution is never spoken about in the news unless it is being considered a problem. A lot of this stems from the fact that sex trafficking is often caused by pimps who force and trick girls into prostitution. It has gathered a very bad stigma due to the traumatic experiences that these women face. Movements are being done by groups such as GEMS to help woman get out of prostitution and seek protection from the men who have abused them and forced them into the lifestyle. This is a stark contrast from what is happening in Spain, as prostitutes are trying to make a splash in politics by demanding they receive rights. Not everyone in Spain agrees with this, and more often then not the coverage on the news is based on the debate on whether the practice of prostitution should continued to be allowed in Spain or banned completely. Today I saw coverage that seemed to support it a little as it featured Europeans from other countries who take part in "sex tourism," a term used to describe traveling to a different country in order to partake in purchasing sex. Many of these people, mostly young men, travel to Spain and take advantage of the fact that it isn't necessarily illegal. I'm not sure if this is looked at in a positive light, but the news seemed to be given a fair look at the negatives and the "positives" of prostitution in Spain.

I also had the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam and witness prostitution in full legality. It was definitely an eye-opener walking in the Red Light District as women stood half-naked in windows, beckoning men over to have sex with them. I have never seen that in my life and I almost felt like it was something I shouldn't have been watching, but couldn't stop looking at because of how open everyone was about it. I don't think Spain will head in this direction (and believe me I would be surprised if it did), but I also don't see it becoming outlawed. As I stated before, Spain has a completely different perception on the practice and I don't believe Spain is plagued by the same problems that the United States is when it comes to sex trafficking.