A grim and disturbing report has revealed how a law aimed at tackling street prostitution and people trafficking, introduced ten years ago, has not only largely failed in its main aims but in some cases has produced disastrous results, making prostitutes more vulnerable to attacks and leading to numerous abuses by police officers. The controversial law is now due to be scrapped. Michel Deléan reports.
It was supposed to remove sex workers from the street and help end the misery of people trafficking. Instead a tough law introduced in 2003 and championed by then-interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy has not only largely failed in its main aims, but in many cases it has even made matters worse, leading to police abuse and making prostitutes more vulnerable.
