The irreconcilability of clashing human rights principles in debates about the legal models regarding prostitution is widely known among policy makers and social activists in the field, worldwide. However, regulatory and public policy changes have taken place recently, or are taking place, in numerous countries, with relevant developments at international/supranational level. Meanwhile, we can observe that the discourse is characterized by a differentiation of terminology that is nuanced to a remarkable degree: the choice of words designates a speaker's position in the debate, a document's approach, the intended impact of a measure. This study, which focuses on but is not limited to Europe, goes beyond exploring the implications and contexts of the terms 'prostitution,' 'sex work,' and the different semantic fields of 'dignity' and 'victimhood.' It is based on the claim that evolving terminology related to ‘(human) trafficking’ is a key factor in sustaining the debate within a human rights framework.

Language: English

Opponents:

Mátyás Bencze (HUN-REN CSS ILS)

Fanni Dés (Corvin University of Budapest)