In 2024, 1,579 victims of pimping or delicious appeal to prostitution were recorded by the internal security forces, an increase of 9% compared to 2021. 920 of them were major and 659 minors.
Nine years after the law of 2016, the “Prostitutional violence” still rest “Widely invisible” In France, according to the National Observatory for Violence against women who report a small number of verbalized customers and a marked increase in minor prostitution.
Fruit of two and a half years of intense parliamentary debates, the law of April 13, 2016 had marked a turning point in French politics by repealing the offense of soliciting to replace it with the criminalization of customers. The latter are now liable to a fine of 1500 euros – 3750 in the event of a recurrence. But in fact, they are little, according to the study of the National Observatory for Violence against women.
Freects “unequally distributed in the territory”
“In 2024, the internal security forces carried out 1146 customer verbalizations for the purchase of sexual acts on an adult, against 1160 in 2023 and 1155 in 2022”indicates this body which is part of the interministerial mission for the protection of women against violence and the fight against trafficking in human beings (Miprof). These tickets “Are very unevenly distributed in the territory”notes the observatory: a majority of them (58%) were drawn up in Paris when over the same period 36 departments have none of the counter.
For the secretary general of the Miprof, Roxana Maracineanu, “It is clear” that the victims of “Prostitutional violence” are “Still largely invisible, passing under radars of the security forces and the public authorities in general”. Despite the work of certain professionals in the field who “Endeavor to prosecute the authors, protect and shelter the victims”the authors of violence, “Whether customers or pimps, take advantage of a system that serves their impunity and therefore their lucrative trade”she deplores.
-In 2024, 1,579 victims of pimping or delicual appeal to prostitution – that is to say committed with one or more aggravating circumstances whose victim’s minority – were recorded by the internal security forces, an increase of 9% compared to 2021. Of these 1579 victims, 920 were major and 659 minors.
“Vulnerability”
The subject of concern for several years, the increase in the number of minor victims of registered pimpness is confirmed. Since 2021, their number has increased by 14% and “The increase is 107% for the number of minors victims of the purchase of sexual acts”. “These increases reflect the strategies of pimps that exploit multiple vulnerabilities and often resort to the use of narcotics to establish their grip”notes Ms. Maracineanu.
If customer penalty stagnates, the judicial response is progressing. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of convictions pronounced for pimping, aggravated pimp, recourse to prostitution, recourse to aggravated prostitution and the holding of a place of prostitution has more than doubled (+106%). The law of 2016 had also set up an exit route of prostitution (PSP) to support the victims, especially on the financial level via financial assistance in social integration (AFIS).
Since 2017, 1783 people have benefited. In 2024, there were 806 to have received at least one payment, against 672 in 2023. The rub, on the other hand with regard to the departmental commissions (CDLP) responsible for organizing and coordinating the action in favor of the victims of prostitution, notes the Miprof: almost a quarter of them were not brought together in 2024.
Miprof issues a series of recommendations, including increased prevention “Prostitutional risk” Via sexual and emotional life education sessions (Evars) or even improving access to prostitution exit paths. According to the latest official estimates, between 35,000 and 40,000 people are in prostitution in France. Of these 40,000 people, 85% would be women, 53% would be French, and among the latter, 60% would be minor.
