Prostitution in Spain and its Regulatory Limbo: Pimp State or Utopian Abolitionism?

Abstract

From time immemorial, society has considered prostitution as the oldest profession in the world, from a perspective that placed those people engaged in such activity in a highly derogatory level. Addressing the issue of prostitution requires an approach that cleanses and purifies the social perspective, understanding this phenomenon as a new form of 21st century slavery that caters to an age-old demand: the desire of individuals to access a body by paying a meager price, as if it were any ordinary commercial transaction.

The silence of the Spanish State supports the view of prostitution as a necessary evil that will always exist if, as is the case, a comfortable stance of inaction and contemplation is adopted. In other words, it refers to a position that fails to value the suffering of those engaged in this activity, which generates millions of euros daily in our country without any kind of regulation. Finding an orientation that satisfies all points of view, casuistic, and types of morality is a profoundly challenging task, towards which the timid steps of the authorities are slowly moving.

In Spain, we still have an alegal dimension regarding the phenomenon of prostitution, and although, as has been said, efforts are being made to address the issue, we have yet to move out of the gray area. Therefore, the aim of the eight points in this contribution is to provide the reader with a general overview of a problem that is shrouded in absolute silence, enabling him to draw a conclusion and a reflection on the legality of this activity, considering that, in our society, anything goes when money is involved.