Decriminalising prostitution without criminalising the buyer will open the floodgates for trafficking, and risks turning Malta into a mecca for sex tourism, a coalition of NGOs and other organisations warned on Monday. 

The coalition said that ditching the 'Nordic Mode', which includes criminalising the buyers, would be an insult to women and will take Malta backwards.

In an interview with Lovin Malta, Rosianne Cutajar, said a proposed law to decriminalise prostitution would not make buying sex a crime. 

The groups said: "How can we believe that government has gender equality at heart if the same government wants to continue facilitating the commodification and objectification of women’s bodies?"

"Decriminalising the selling of sex without criminalising the buying provides a very attractive situation for traffickers, pimps and johns to continue exploiting and denigrating women."

The women's organisations urged the government not to rush with this decision, and to rely on experts who have significant knowledge of the consequences of inappropriate and inadequate laws to protect against human trafficking and exploitation.   

"If the prime minister really wants us to believe him when he says that things are better where women are involved, government should not ignore the advice and expertise of women and local and international experts in the field, on something that directly concerns them," the groups said.  

The statement was signed by the Association for Equality (A4E), Attard Ladies Cultural Club (ALCC), Azzjoni Kattolika Maltija (AKM), Caritas, Dar Hosea, Dar Merhba Bik, Department of Gender Studies (UOM), Department of Social Policy and Social Work (UOM), emPOWer Platform, Business and Professional Women (Valletta) Malta (BPW), Foundation for Women Entrepreneurs Malta (FWE), Malta Association of Women in Business (MAWB);

Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society (MFWS), National Centre for Family Research, National Observatory for Living with Dignity, National Institute for Childhood, Malta Girl Guides (MGG), Moviment Nisa’ Partit Nazzjonalista (MNPN), National Council of Women (NCW), Soroptimists International Malta (SI), Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Faculty of Theology (UOM), Ghaqda Studenti tat-Teologija, Good Shepherd Sisters, Justice and Peace Commission, Local Councils’ Association, Malta Association of Public Health Medicine (MAPHM), Malta Confederation of Women's Organisations (MCWO), Malta Medical Students Association (MMSA),Malta Midwives Association (MMA);

Men Against Violence (MAV), OASI Foundation, Saint Jeanne Antide Foundation (SJAF), Solidarity Overseas Service (SOS) Malta, University Chaplaincy, Victim Support Malta (VSM), Women's Rights Foundation and Women`s Study Group (WSG).