Prostitution is de facto legal due to its online normalization

Machista with a patriarchal demeanor and frequent consumption of pornography are some of the characteristics of a person applying for prostitution, an activity that has undergone a profound digital transformation over the past decade and can be considered “de facto legal” in Spain. Normalization of its presence on the Internet. This is a “historical very longstanding institution” and is largely supported by women who have been trafficked, who is a professor of Sociology at the University of Valencia, who in her book “Prostitution in the Valencian Community” (Tirant Lo Blanch) offers a sociological look at this phenomenon.

While the publication makes no specific reference to the recent yes-only law that outlawed prostitution-encouraging ads, Ariño notes that they are examining its impact on the decline or disappearance of some services offered by the different platforms. via the internet.

According to him, prostitution in Spain can be classified as a “fake” practice, but on the Internet where there is “language blocking” and “progress in the objectification of bodies without the slightest self-control and self-control”. ‘ becomes a ‘normal and tolerated’ phenomenon that turns into a ‘practical legalization’.

According to Ariño, in the last decade prostitution has undergone a profound transformation as smartphones become widespread and Internet access is ubiquitous, with new forms of organization around platforms that make it more mobile and dispersed, but above all, everything else. , “more invisible and more normalized”.

“The Internet has increased exponentially,” says the sociology professor, explaining that this migration has seen a significant decrease in street prostitution, a large increase in immigration to homes – with more scattering in the city. women’s mobility Digital platforms allow for the extensive development of digital marketing and, in addition, generate new experiences such as broadcasting live shows on the Internet (“webcam”) or creating forums for applicants.

Analysis of websites and platforms allowed Ariño to map out the advertisements, apartments, clubs and agencies in Spain, as well as the services they offer, and confirm their “commoditative nature”.

He points out that during the pandemic, there is a “variety of strategies” to circumvent controls, and that although clubs must be closed or “opened occasionally”, the practice of prostitution in apartments cannot be controlled in any way.

Claimants: Men aged 20 to 55

Exact figures for the number of prostitutes are not known, but various studies suggest that between 4% and 10% of men may be between the ages of 20 and 55. The majority are men who live alone and are separated or divorced; they have a “discriminatory and macho” vision of women; and frequently consumes pornography.

Another of the data included in the study, which Ariño stated that he wanted to deepen because the sample size was small, is ideological orientation; When it comes to politics, the majority of litigants are from the far left, while in religious litigation the highest claim values ​​appear among non-practicing believers.

Precise figures for women engaged in prostitution are also not available, although it is estimated that there may be a significant number of victims in the Community of Valencia, between 10,000 and 13,000, mostly between the ages of 25 and 34, clearly lower than those of the plaintiffs. It deals with countries like Nigeria, Romania or Colombia.

Ariño emphasizes that since the war in Ukraine began, they have observed “a certain increase” through the Internet in women in prostitution from that country, because he confirms that “states of extreme need are used by unscrupulous people.”

Women who engage in prostitution occupy secondary and inferior positions, come from poor and vulnerable backgrounds, and when not trafficked, they are often driven by the economic need for subsistence to progress. “For example, it ranges from phenomena of a lower social level to luxury prostitution,” she adds.