Prostitution in Switzerland is not sufficiently protected from violence

Sex workers in Switzerland are often victims of violence. A study shows a situation quite similar to what we know abroad. Switzerland is not immune to the phenomenon, in particular the removal of condoms against one’s will.

Researchers interviewed 24 people from all linguistic regions on behalf of the organization Procore. This is not a representative survey, but an exploratory study, those responsible stressed Thursday at a press conference in Bern.

Around 70% of those surveyed reported so-called “stealthing”, i.e. removing the condom against their will. And almost half of them were victims of discrimination, insults as well as theft of money or objects.

According to the study, the perpetrators are mainly customers. But violence against sex workers is also committed by passers-by, colleagues and spouses.

Violence is not so much due to sex work as such, but to its stigmatization, which lowers the threshold of inhibition, explains Rebecca Angelini, of the organization Procore, in a press release. Women are also more exposed than men to the risk of violence, the fact that many of the people concerned are migrants further reinforcing this observation.

Based on this study, the Procore association opposes the ban on paid sex and the penalization of clients, as is the case in Sweden or France. In Switzerland, the National Council rejected a motion to this effect in June 2022.

Where sex work is legal, violence generally decreases, Procore points out. Victims also contact specialized services or the police more easily.

A social reality to be framed

In this context, Procore presents a series of political demands. Women should be able to report acts of violence without risking consequences under immigration law. In addition, the public must be made aware that “stealthing” is punishable under the new sexual criminal law.

To advance these issues, Procore also presented to the media a new coalition of civil society organizations. Amnesty International, Swiss Aids Against Aids, the Swiss League of Catholic Women and the Sexworkers Collective Schweiz, which brings together sex workers, are among them.

On its website, Procore defines itself as a national network committed to the rights and concerns of sex workers. In its own words, the organization recognizes sex work as a social reality and at the same time is committed to combating exploitation and trafficking of human beings.

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