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Civil rights challenge over France’s sex client law
Hundreds of sex workers are taking the government to the European Court of Civil Rights to overturn a law penalising clients that they say has put them in danger.
The 250, backed by 19 groups ranging from Strass sex workers’ union to Sidaction and Médecins du Monde, say there has been a 42% rise in violence since the 2016 act changed the law to target clients.
Clients face a €1,500 fine but sex workers say they have had to agree to unprotected sex and work in more isolated conditions, where they face attack.
They lost an attempt to scrap the law in France’s constitutional court last February on the grounds that it was dangerous for their safety and health and took away the freedoms both to work and to have sex.
They say they have faced a serious rise in violence since 2016 and four out of five say their earnings are down.
Strass said the so-called Swedish model of penalising clients had endangered the lives of all engaged in sex work.
