A new broom

The penal code of 1995 legalized prostitution in Spain. As a result you see "ladies" working on roadsides, at roundabouts, in night clubs and in the streets of cities throughout the country.

There are all sorts of myths that surround their circumstances. Many believe that they are brought into the country, robbed of their passports and made to work long hours for little reward. Some indeed do look very young and a lot of them are clearly not native Spaniards. Most that you see on the roadside are well dressed (or undressed as the case may be) and look to be in good health - they smile and wave to you as you pass them by.

As the "oldest profession", prostitution continues in spite of any crisis. It manages to transcend eras and changes in ideologies. Next to arms trafficking , prostitution is the most lucrative business in the world. Whilst people might be cutting back on extra spending, on holidays or a new car etc., the girls seem to be still doing a good trade.

There is wide spread concern about the organisation of prostitutes. So, the Ministry of Equality lead by Bibiana Aído is going to take a new approach to the fight against sex Mafias and pimps. In order to fight by them, eleven ministries and a pile of experts have come up with a three years plan.

Out of the million prostitutes that work in Spain, it is those that work on the streets that cause the most problems for city councils. The "ladies" who work the streets though are demanding an end to the harassment they receive. The majority of them neither consider themselves to be victims nor slaves to anybody. In fact many Spanish ladies are now returning to the profession after having left it for foreigners for ten years or so.

There is no doubt that there is a criminal element involved in the industry but is it really possible to move prostitutes from the streets and the roundabouts and institutionalise them? Could their work ever become a regulated economic activity with pension schemes and the like?