Prostitution in Spain
[6][7][8][9][10][11][12] The only article in the Code dealing specifically with adult prostitution is Artícle 188, which bans pimping:[13] Whoever causes a person of legal age to engage in prostitution or to continue to do so, with the use of violence, intimidation or deception, or by abusing a position of power or the dependency or vulnerability of the victim, shall be punished with a prison sentence of two to four years and a fine from 12 to 24 months.
[14] Local governments differ in their approaches to both indoor and outdoor prostitution, usually in response to community pressure groups, and based on "public safety".
[17][18] As part of the state of alarm due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, all brothels and other places of entertainment were ordered to close.
[22] Although democracy was restored in 1975, it was not till the Penal Code revisions of 1995[23] that this policy was revisited, and most laws regarding prostitution were repealed, with the exception of those governing minors and those with mental health problems.
[24][full citation needed] Opinion remains deeply divided in Spain over prostitution, and law reform has been in a political impasse for a long time.
[15][34] The 2009 study found the migrant sex workers were 49% were from Latin America, 24% from Central Europe (mainly Bulgaria and Romania) and 18% from Africa.
[15] There are organisations working with migrant women, including Proyecto Esperanza[42] and shelters such as IPSSE (Instituto para la Promoción de Servicios Especializados).
Organisations working with sex workers in Spain include APRAMP (Associacion para la Prevención, Reinserción y Atención de la Mujer Prostituida)[43] while sex workers' rights organisations include Hetaira (Madrid),[44] as well as regional organisations such as SICAR Asturias,[45] AMTTTSE (Asociación de Mujeres, Transexuales y Travestis como Trabajadoras Sexuales en España, Málaga) and CATS (Comité de Apoyo a las Trabajadoras del Sexo, Murcia).
Spanish sex workers continue to be concerned about their lack of protection and in July 2011 petitioned the Minister of Health (Leire Pajín).
[46] A demonstration is planned for 6 November 2011 in Madrid, and a communique has been released setting out sex workers' complaints and demands.
[47] The Organización de Trabajadoras Sexuales (OTRAS) was formed in August 2018[40] and registered with Spain's Labour Ministry as a trade union.
Feminists and activist opposed the formation of the union and instigated a campaign on social media against them using the hashtag #SoyAbolicionista (“I’m an Abolitionist”).
(Harrison) Goya (1746–1828) frequently commented on the place of prostitution in Spanish high society[53] such as satirising the church's involvement in the trade, for profit.
[59] In 2012, a councillor in Santa Cruz de Tenerife told the ABC newspaper about the city's draft plan for prostitution.
[60] A study is 2016 estimated there were around 3,000 prostitutes working on the islands, mainly in the tourist areas and the cities of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas.
Sex traffickers exploit Venezuelan women fleeing the collapsing social and economic conditions at home.
[40] Sex traffickers are increasingly using online apartment rental platforms to make their illicit operations difficult to track.
Nigerian criminal networks recruit victims in migrant reception centers in Italy for forced prostitution in Spain.
