Legalisation of the sex trade will not simply affect the few who are currently in prostitution but it will lead to a greater demand for women, girls, boys, gays, trans and men to service the growing abusive and exploitative buyers, a lobby group has warned. 

"We must not allow this to happen by legalising the sexual exploitation of human beings and trying to pass it off as a ‘legitimate job’. The country deserves better than this," the Malta Women's Lobby, (MWL) previously known as the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations (MCWO) said on Saturday.

"The increased recognition of much-needed reforms to address the sex trade is significant, but the policy responses must be thoughtful, and grounded in the voices and experiences of the most marginalised women and young girls."

The group was reacting to comments by Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar who said earlier this week that society must be realistic and admit that while thousands of people become prostitutes against their own will, either because they have drug problems or a pimp, there are others who want to be working the sex industry.

"Since for the overwhelming majority prostitution is a trap, we can never agree with those who are trying to sell the idea that prostitution should be considered as ‘normal’ and ‘legitimate job’," the lobby group said.

"Once this becomes so, it is only a matter of time before prostitution is promoted in schools as a legitimate career choice, and advertised in broad daylight as an acceptable avenue for young women and girls, as happens in other countries where it has been legalised."

"A legal sex trade without any sanctions on the buyer as is being proposed, sends out the message that it is ok to buy women’s bodies, and will reflect how women are valued in our society," it added.

Cutajar is spearheading a reform of prostitution laws which is expected to be presented in the coming months. While women's rights activists have argued that Malta should base its reform on the so-called 'Nordic model', which decriminalises prostitutes but criminalises their clients, Cutajar has argued that will only serve to drive prostitution underground.