Why Amnesty's position on prostitution is abhorrent

Amnesty International has just released a major report into "sex workers' rights" across the globe. As one might expect, given its recent history, it comes out very heavily in favour of decriminalising all aspects of adult prostitution. It follows the direction set by its International Council last year and heavily criticises those who suggest a different approach, such as making the purchase of sex illegal. In Amnesty's deeply troubling worldview, pimps and brothel owners should be allowed to thrive and flourish.

Giving pimps a free reign to continue exploiting others is hardly a progressive way forward. It should come as no surprise that Amnesty's decriminalisation policy is backed by many pimps and brothel owners. No doubt they view it as a way of making even more profit. Not only does decriminalising prostitution lend legitimacy to the trade, it also give greater licence to those who sell others for sex to exploit people even more.

The gruesome reality is that prostitution is one of the most dangerous professions in the world. It is an abuse of the human rights of women and men who are often forced to sell their bodies for sex. Behind the smiling faces of many call-girl adverts are disturbing stories of abuse, violence and emotional and psychological harm.

Of course there are people who want to work in prostitution and who choose to do so. But we must never assume this is a choice everyone makes. In fact, the evidence very clearly suggests the majority do not choose prostitution. A story appeared recently in the Scottish Daily Record which highlighted the fact not all people involved prostitution are in the trade out of choice. In an interview a survivor of prostitution called Joanne, 31, provides a chilling insight into the trade. She said: "There's no glamour in it. Nothing sexy about it either. It's like a kind of Groundhog Day. It's the same thing day in and day out, just doing the same thing. And every time you go and do that, it's taking a bit of you away."

She went on to say: "Girls aren't out there because they like sex. They're not out there because they're nymphomaniacs. They're out there because they're in a situation where they have to be there. I've never met a girl who is there by choice."

Even more shocking is that when Joanne went to work in a brothel as a means of getting off the street, she found conditions there even more disturbing. She admitted that she never felt safe. This is a deeply traumatic way to have to live day to day. Women like Joanne need support and help. Their rights are being abused because of prostitution. Decriminalising the trade will only increase the number of stories like the one Joanne has to tell.

Obviously Joanne is just one example and there are those who will point out that they enjoy the work. But it is blatantly untrue to suggest or even imply this is the norm. The truth is the majority simply do not have a choice. Many engage in prostitution because of external factors such as poverty, abuse, exploitation and yes, human trafficking.

In respect of human trafficking, if prostitution is decriminalised there is good reason to argue human trafficking levels will increase. We can ill afford such a scenario. Major reports from the European Parliament have highlighted the need to address demand for paid sex as one of the principal drivers behind human trafficking. Like Joanne, CARE supports the criminalisation of the purchase of sex because it shifts the burden of blame away from the vulnerable and onto those who look to go out and buy other people's bodies for their own pleasure and satisfaction.

If we want to have a conversation about prostitution, let's at least accept that the law should be framed with regard to a vulnerable majority, not a particularly loud minority. Prostitution is dangerous. It is not enough to ban the purchase of sex without also looking at ways to help those who want to exit the trade. We need to make sure people in prostitution have access to support.

Amnesty International usually rails against human rights abuses. In areas like the existence of the death penalty, the existence of torture and the use of mass surveillance Amnesty International does not accept things as they are. It doesn't doesn't say, "Such things have always existed so we simply seek to accommodate them." Rather, it argues that such practices should stop. Yet on prostitution it has taken completely the wrong path. It is supporting the existence of an industry which offends against the human rights of some of the most vulnerable around the world. Its position on prostitution is truly abhorrent. How tragic that an organisation such as Amnesty should get this one so wrong.

Nola Leach is Chief Executive of CARE.