en Irlanda del Norte

 En Irlanda del Norte quieren aplicar el modelo abolicionista de la prostitución para impedir la trata de mujeres. Sólo que es muy difícil poder controlar a los clientes que llaman por télefono. No solamente difícil sino absurdo:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/21/plans-reform-ulster-prostitution-laws-unworkable

Legislation to enforce a "Swedish model" of anti-prostitution laws in Northern Ireland that criminalise the buyers of sex would be unworkable because the devolved government at Stormont has no powers to authorise telephone bugging operations.

The region's justice minister, David Ford, has told the Guardian he is far from convinced over the plans because mobile intercepts – crucial in prosecutions in countries which have introduced the laws – are rarely used even in cases against republican and loyalist terror groups.

Police would have to intercept all calls from clients to sex workers in the province, Ford warned. He said only a UK cabinet minister such as the Northern Ireland secretary had the power to sign off spying operations.

The Northern Ireland assembly has been debating a proposed law modelled on the Swedish legislation and it has commanded cross-party support ranging from Sinn Féin to the Democratic Unionist party.

At present there are also parallel moves in the Irish Republic to bring in legislation that shifts the criminal investigative focus from sex workers to consumers, making the act of buying or trying to buy sex an offence.

In response to Democratic Unionist assembly member Lord Morrow's attempt to introduce such a law via new human anti-trafficking legislation, Ford has established a commission to explore the extent of prostitution in Northern Ireland and the efficacy of the Swedish model.

Ford told the Guardian: "I think there is far too little evidence to legislate in a hurry – the research will tell us what the position is. But I am far from convinced that what is currently being suggested such as the Swedish model would work here.

"One specific issue which has been raised with me is the fact that the Swedish model largely depends upon telephone intercept evidence. Telephone intercepts can be obtained by an officer more or less the equivalent of a police superintendent in Sweden. In Northern Ireland such telephone intercepts would have to be signed by the secretary of state and I think that is a very different situation."

"Certainly in terms of the proportionality of such a process these intercepts are applied against serious cases such as terrorism not issued such as those relating to prostitution, and indeed even in the case of terrorist cases not very often.

"And to be honest – not that I would know! Because the National Security Agency cannot operate yet in Northern Ireland because of objections from nationalist politicians to it working here.

"As I said before my understanding is that the only person here who could sign off and authorise the use of telephone intercepts to catch men in the act so to speak would be Theresa Villiers, the current secretary of state, or any future one," he said.

The justice minister said he was concerned that any legislation directed at people who buy sex could make matters worse for those involved in prostitution.

"The issue that concerns me as minister of justice is whether there is a need for legislation to make sure the law actually deals with the problem. What we need to do is to protect the women (because they are nearly all women involved in it) and assist those who want to get out of prostitution if they want out. And in particular, that we take strong action directed against those who are trafficking human beings for any purpose. The specific issue of a ban on the purchase of sexual services, and even that is an unclear phrase, is not where I think the priority needs to be at this point," Ford said.

He added that the majority of those trafficked into the island of Ireland were probably being exploited as low paid, illegal labour in other industries such as catering and agriculture.

But Morrow has defended his bill against charges that it will not halt prostitution either in the region or on the island.

"I have never claimed that this approach would eradicate prostitution in Northern Ireland.

"However, I do believe that such an approach would reduce demand for paid sex in Northern Ireland, making it a less profitable industry," he said.

He added that data from Sweden showed that street prostitution had halved in the country from 1999, when the law was introduced, to 2008.

The main campaign group in the Irish Republic lobbying for a Swedish model law denied that their cause would be lost if parallel plans to bring in the same legislation in the north are defeated.

A spokesperson for the Turn Off The Red Light organisation in Dublin said: "It is for each jurisdiction to decide its own laws, and we welcome the process currently underway in Northern Ireland. Sex trafficking is a crime which recognises no borders; the EU estimates that it generates €25bn by exploiting 600,000 people a year. Whatever is the conclusion in Northern Ireland the reality is that all our neighbours are considering sex buyer legislation."