The decriminalisation of prostitution must be accompanied by criminalising sex buying – otherwise vulnerable women will keep being dragged into the abusive underworld, according to a doctor and a psychology graduate who support women out of prostitution.

“We agree with the proposal of decriminalising prostitution be-cause these women are victims,” said Anna Vella, a doctor and a member of the management board of Dar Hosea – a walk-in centre for women in prostitution.

“The only problem is that nothing was said about criminalising sex buying, and by buyers we mean men or women who use their money to exploit vulnerable people.”

Last week, Reforms Parliamentary Secretary Julia Farrugia announced that decriminalising prostitution will be a key pillar of an upcoming legal reform on tackling human trafficking. A public consultation period, ending in October, was launched.

At the moment, paying for sex or being paid for sex is not illegal. Loitering for prostitution purposes and living off the earnings of prostitution are.

Psychology graduate Romina Lopez, who is carrying out research into prostitution in Malta as part of her Master’s degree, works at Dar Hosea and regularly meets these women.

Men or women who use their money to exploit vulnerable people

She agrees with criminalising sex buying.

“If we stop at decriminalising prostitution we are sending the message that it’s okay. But it’s not. We keep hearing people say that these women are giving their consent. But how is it consent when it comes from a history of abuse? From a need to sustain drug addiction, fear of pimps, extreme poverty and debt?

“They have no choice. I’m sure no grown women says: I’m going to become a sex worker and let my pimp use me to make money. We need a change in mentality.

“Making it seem like it’s alright will only increase demand and result in pimps bringing in women from poorer countries,” she said.

Why do women prostitute themselves?

Research shows that three core factors lead women into prostitution – sexual abuse and physical abuse in childhood and emotional neglect, Ms Lopez said.

“This has also been seen in my work through the narratives of the women who attend Dar Hosea. They have extremely chaotic backgrounds, some were raped by fathers, cousins and other close relatives and family friends – who then later coerced them into prostitution at a very young age – as young as 12,” she said.

Often, due to the pressures at home, these women run away – becoming vulnerable targets to ‘boyfriends’ promising to show them the love they always craved – but who eventually become their pimps. This way of life becomes too hard to deal with and the women turn to drugs – another layer of dependency.

They desensitise in order to survive. They suffer from dissociation, separating the mind from the body.

“Once a woman told me she plays video games while with men. She said: My body is just there. I’m not there,” said Ms Lopez, adding that all too often these women end up suffering from mental health problems like depression, anxiety and hypervigilance.

“It becomes the norm. Just as we have no idea what happens in the dark underworld, they have no idea what a happy life is meant to be like,” she said, adding: “How much choice do they have when they were brought up being told they are good for nothing and surrounded by violence and sexual abuse. All they’ve known is abuse – their neural pathways were enforced towards sexuality.”

Shattering the commodification of women

Ms Lopez and Dr Vella stressed on the important role of education.

“We need to teach people out there that paying for sex is a horrible thing since there is a history of abuse behind these women,” Dr Vella said.

Agreeing, Ms Lopez said society needed to be made more aware of the invisible harms made by language. The term ‘sex worker’, for example, makes it look like a chosen career.

Referring to the recent debate on massage parlours she said this was a reflection of the sexist mentality that promoted the commodification of women.

Many blamed the women working in the massage parlours for spreading disease (by having sex with clients) and spoke about getting the women regularly tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

But what about the men who were paying them for sex? No one was asking them to get tested? Where do you think the women get the diseases from? Ms Lopez questioned.

“Prostitution is not the oldest profession. Prostitution is oppression,” she said.

Voices of prostituted women

• “I need a blanket as a means of warmth… and since I have no one to hug me… I make use of a blanket instead.”

• “Everyone has a heart which is pumping red blood. However, mine is only half red… the other half is black… I feel a deep black hole within… that is my pain.”

• “I will never forget that trauma… for as long as I live.”