Bundestag President Julia Klöckner demanded a ban on buying sex in Berlin, calling Germany 'Europe's brothel'. She advocates for the Nordic model, which punishes clients and supports prostitutes. The statements were made at the awarding of the Alice Schwarzer Foundation's Heroes Award.
Julia Klöckner, CDU Bundestag President, sharply criticized prostitution in Germany during her laudatory speech at the Heroes Award ceremony of the Alice Schwarzer Foundation in Berlin. 'I am firmly convinced: We must finally ban prostitution and the purchase of sex in this country as well,' she said.
Klöckner criticized existing legislation. The Prostitution Act and the Prostitutes Protection Act, effective since 2017, do not sufficiently protect prostitutes, she emphasized. 'On the contrary, neither the Prostitution Act nor the Prostitutes Protection Act sustainably strengthen the rights of women in prostitution.' Violence, male dominance, and involuntariness persist. Germany is 'Europe's brothel'.
She called for the Nordic model as in Sweden or Norway, where buying sex is illegal, but selling it remains unpunished. Clients are penalized, brothels closed, and prostitutes receive support to exit the trade.
'If we talk about women's rights otherwise, but say that prostitution is a job like any other, then that is not only ridiculous, but a disparagement of women. There are no school internships in this profession either,' Klöckner added.
The award, endowed with 10,000 euros, went to street workers Sabine Constabel and Cathrin Schauer-Kelpin. Constabel has been supporting women in exiting prostitution for over three decades. Schauer-Kelpin engages through her association Karo against forced prostitution, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation of children.
Alice Schwarzer, founder of the award, is known for polarizing positions, including opposition to the Self-Determination Act and a peace manifesto with Sahra Wagenknecht.