Oviedo (EFE).- The Asturian Strategy for the Abolition of Prostitution and Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation Purposes will start with the preparation of a study to find out the reality of the community and define the legal framework, within the regional powers, to end all forms of pimping and impose penalties on clients.
The general director of Equality, Nuria Varela, presented this Monday at a press conference this strategy that revolves around “prevention, protection and persecution” and has a “victim-centric” approach.
Strategy that aspires to be “abolitionist”
“It aspires to be abolitionist,” Varela stressed after arguing that the initiative has a “transversal and multidisciplinary” perspective and has as its objective the detection and identification of cases of trafficking, the persecution of the trafficker or pimp and the imposition of sanctions on the clients.
Among the first 48 actions to be implemented, Varela explained that a map will be drawn up on the situation of trafficking and prostitution in the Principality, from which it will be analyzed how the Government can act from the point of view of legal view within its jurisdiction.
“We want to explore how we can act with current powers”, he pointed out before noting that, within a period of two to three months, the Executive expects to have results from this analysis.
The initiative proposes to review the municipal and regional administrative licenses in relation to the activities carried out in certain premises and compliance with current regulations in their activity in order to avoid promoting sexual exploitation.
It also contemplates urging the central government to develop the approach and access to private spaces where women who could be victims of exploitation are found in contact floors or private homes.
In addition, it advocates developing campaigns aimed at prostitution applicants to discourage demand and raise awareness about the situation of violence suffered by victims.
The strategy, pioneer in Spain, highlighted Varela, has a technical table, in which all the agents involved have a place, and will also promote the “Abolitionist Forum of Asturias”, which will give participation to civil society.
In this sense, he stressed that these practices will not end only with the implementation of laws or strategies, but that it requires “a cultural change promoted from many areas”.
The strategy will promote the education and training of professionals to carry out prevention and detection tasks and the design of a comprehensive public intervention model, with the creation of a victim care service.
It also proposes promoting individualized training plans that allow the socio-educational insertion of minor victims.
Nearly 1,100 women attended in 2021
Varela has pointed out that the only data available to the administration are those offered by the three entities that work in this area in the community -Amaranta Foundation, APRAMP and Médicos del Mundo-, which attended 1,094 prostituted women in Asturias in 2021, compared to the 1,082 of the previous year.
These organizations offer “different” itineraries depending on each situation, since some only require specific interventions, while others have “more complex” problems and require other types of assistance.
Varela has also referred to the new forms of prostitution through digital media and the increase that has occurred in private apartments, although the activity on the street is “residual”. EFE