Seven out of ten Spaniards consider prostitution to be a form of violence against women
63% of the population would disapprove of a male relative paying for sex
BarcelonaSeven out of ten Spaniards believe that prostitution is a form of violence against women, a percentage that rises to 75% among the female population. Specifically, according to a survey published this Thursday by the Ministry of Equality, 69% of the Spanish population strongly or quite agrees with this statement. The data also reveals that 63% of the population would disapprove of a male relative paying for sex, a rejection that is even more pronounced among women, reaching 71.1%. Similarly, there is clear opposition among women to having a relationship with someone who pays for sex. 91.2% state that they would not be willing.
The study, conducted through the government delegation against gender violence and in collaboration with the Center for Sociological Research (CIS), was based on 10,019 interviews with people aged 16 and over to analyze social perceptions of pornography and prostitution.
The debate on abolition
The survey includes a section dedicated to understanding public opinion on the regulation and abolition of prostitution. The majority of respondents believe that women in prostitution should not be punished, and 32% support legalizing prostitution as a legitimate form of employment. Furthermore, 85.6% believe that punishing pimps would help reduce the trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation. For 61.2%, imposing these punishments on men who pay for sex would also be beneficial. Regarding the type of punishment, almost half of those who believe it is necessary think this behavior should involve financial penalties. As for pimps, imprisonment is the most frequently mentioned measure. Regarding initiatives that should be adopted to eradicate prostitution, almost half of the population believes the most crucial is strengthening education on equality, sexuality, and human rights from childhood.
In this vein, the Minister for Equality, Ana Redondo, stated this Thursday that society "supports" moving towards the abolition of prostitution and the establishment of sanctions for pimps. The minister made these statements during the presentation of the report and added that the Spanish government is working on an abolitionist law and a trafficking law.
Socioeconomic vulnerability
The public perceives prostitution as a phenomenon closely linked to socioeconomic vulnerability and violence. Seven out of ten people surveyed believe that women who engage in prostitution do so out of economic necessity, while 41.5% believe they are forced into this world. Regarding pornography, 71.6% of those surveyed say it promotes violence against women, and 93.3% of participants indicate the need to restrict minors' access to this type of content.