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Why does CAP International stand up against the prostitution system?
CAP International and its members act in support of all prostituted persons (women, men and children), in opposition to the prostitution system that exploits their precariousness and vulnerability.
Prostitution is a form of violence
The vast majority of prostituted persons have suffered from violence, often sexual, before entering prostitution. Most of them are also victims of many forms of violence while in prostitution (physical, verbal, sexual, psychological). The repetition of sexual acts without physical desire, but instead experienced as the consequence of financial need, inequality or as an exploitation of vulnerability, constitutes sexual violence in and of itself.
Prostitution is the exploitation of inequalities
Prostitution is a part of a long patriarchal tradition of making women’s bodies available for men’s benefit (droit du seigneur, rape, sexual harassment, “conjugal duties”, etc.). It exploits multiple forms of inequality: men’s domination over women, rich over poor, North over South, majority groups over minorities.
Prostitution is a system at the intersection of various oppressions
Everywhere in the world, this system disproportionately impacts women and girls from marginalised communities: poor, Indigenous, migrant women and girls, those oppressed castes or from minorities. Prostitution is at the crossroads of multiple oppressions: patriarchy, racism, colonialism, imperialism, capitalism, class-domination, war & militarisation.
Prostitution is a violation of human dignity
By placing the human body and sex into the realm of the marketplace, the system of prostitution reinforces the objectification of all women and their bodies. It is a direct violation of the physical and moral integrity of prostituted persons. Prostitution further emphasises the domination of men over women, and particularly the patriarchal attitude of male entitlement to women's bodies, which is present in other forms of violence against women such as rape, sexual harassment and intimate-partner violence. The system of prostitution fuels and perpetuates trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation. Prostitution is a societal obstacle to establishing truly free, respectful and egalitarian sexuality.
Prostitution is a violation of Human Rights
International human rights recognises prostitution as a violation of human rights and specifically prohibits exploitation of the prostitution of others, including pimping, procuring and the running of a brothel. States and United Nations agencies have a direct, binding obligation to oppose any trivialisation of prostitution and to work towards the elimination of its exploitation.
Prostitution and the accompanying evil of the traffic in persons for the purpose of prostitution are incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person.
punish any person who, to gratify the passions of another : (1) Procures, entices or leads away, for purposes of prostitution, another person, even with the consent of that person; (2) Exploits the prostitution of another person, even with the consent of that person.
take all appropriate measures: to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women; (article 5) take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to suppress all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of prostitution of women. (article 6)
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person and that No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The Impact of CAP International and Its Members
To achieve our mission of abolishing prostitution worldwide, CAP International focuses on four key areas:
Support CAP International’s Actions
The impactful work of CAP International is made possible through the generosity of our sponsors, foundations, and individual supporters. Your donations directly support our advocacy efforts, frontline services, and capacity-building programmes, enabling us to create meaningful change towards abolishing prostitution. Together, we can make a difference.
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