From April 9 to 17, National Solidarity visited Paris to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Equality Model in France. During the visit, we met with various activists and survivors from around the world. Together with Moongchi, we participated in the World Survivors’ March and an international symposium, where we shared the realities of South Korea’s legal system regarding prostitution and the powerful stories of survivors. We also called for international solidarity to support the adoption of the Equality Model in South Korea.
As our first schedule, we conducted an interview with a representative from the Frontline Women’s Fund (FWF). During the interview, we introduced South Korea’s legal framework regarding prostitution and emphasized the urgent need to adopt the Equality Model—which decriminalizes women in prostitution and deters demand—in South Korea. We also discussed the critical necessity of the anti-prostitution movement in Korean society, where prostitution remains widespread.
In particular, we firmly criticized recent attempts to include the term ‘sex work’ in the CEDAW report. While this term may appear to advocate for women’s rights, it actually functions to erase the exploitative acts of pimps and buyers, as well as the accountability of the state that overlooks them. We clearly demanded the use of terms such as ‘sexual exploitation’, ‘women in prostitution’, and ‘prostituted women’.
On April 12, a major march took place in downtown Paris, bringing together over 800 survivors and activists from around the world. We marched to honor the memory of the women who lost their lives to exploitation and violence within the sex trade. Raising our voices in powerful slogans, we marched with a shared determination never to forget their deaths and to build a gender-equal society—a world free from prostitution.
Image : CAP International
On April 13, an international symposium was held at the French National Assembly. The event was attended by 350 people, including survivors, members of parliament, and frontline experts from all over the world.
Now, ten years after the law was enacted in France, a recent opinion poll shows that 92% of French citizens view the law as a positive step forward. Furthermore, 76% of French citizens now recognize prostitution as a form of violence. When the law was first introduced in France, many did not view prostitution as violence against women. However, since the enactment of the law, the perception of society as a whole has transformed.
Through presentations by various researchers and activists, we confirmed that research and advocacy to protect the human rights of women in prostitution and to build a world free from prostitution are actively taking place not only in France but across the globe, including Europe, Asia, and the Americas. This truly allowed us to feel the power of international solidarity.
At the international symposium, National Solidarity delivered a presentation introducing South Korea's sex industry and its legal framework regarding prostitution, while calling for international solidarity to implement the Equality Model in South Korea.
Check out our presentation video with Korean-English subtitles!
▶ Watch National Solidarity’s Presentation
Click here to access the full coverage of the international symposium.
Our participation in this international event was not only an opportunity to share South Korea's reality with activists worldwide, but also a time to reaffirm the urgent necessity of adopting the Equality Model. South Korea must immediately transition to the Equality Model, which centers on decriminalizing women in prostitution and deterring demand.
As our first schedule, we conducted an interview with a representative from the Frontline Women’s Fund (FWF). During the interview, we introduced South Korea’s legal framework regarding prostitution and emphasized the urgent need to adopt the Equality Model—which decriminalizes women in prostitution and deters demand—in South Korea. We also discussed the critical necessity of the anti-prostitution movement in Korean society, where prostitution remains widespread.
In particular, we firmly criticized recent attempts to include the term ‘sex work’ in the CEDAW report. While this term may appear to advocate for women’s rights, it actually functions to erase the exploitative acts of pimps and buyers, as well as the accountability of the state that overlooks them. We clearly demanded the use of terms such as ‘sexual exploitation’, ‘women in prostitution’, and ‘prostituted women’.
On April 12, a major march took place in downtown Paris, bringing together over 800 survivors and activists from around the world. We marched to honor the memory of the women who lost their lives to exploitation and violence within the sex trade. Raising our voices in powerful slogans, we marched with a shared determination never to forget their deaths and to build a gender-equal society—a world free from prostitution.
Image : CAP International
On April 13, an international symposium was held at the French National Assembly. The event was attended by 350 people, including survivors, members of parliament, and frontline experts from all over the world.
Now, ten years after the law was enacted in France, a recent opinion poll shows that 92% of French citizens view the law as a positive step forward. Furthermore, 76% of French citizens now recognize prostitution as a form of violence. When the law was first introduced in France, many did not view prostitution as violence against women. However, since the enactment of the law, the perception of society as a whole has transformed.
Through presentations by various researchers and activists, we confirmed that research and advocacy to protect the human rights of women in prostitution and to build a world free from prostitution are actively taking place not only in France but across the globe, including Europe, Asia, and the Americas. This truly allowed us to feel the power of international solidarity.
At the international symposium, National Solidarity delivered a presentation introducing South Korea's sex industry and its legal framework regarding prostitution, while calling for international solidarity to implement the Equality Model in South Korea.
Check out our presentation video with Korean-English subtitles!
▶ Watch National Solidarity’s Presentation
Click here to access the full coverage of the international symposium.
Our participation in this international event was not only an opportunity to share South Korea's reality with activists worldwide, but also a time to reaffirm the urgent necessity of adopting the Equality Model. South Korea must immediately transition to the Equality Model, which centers on decriminalizing women in prostitution and deterring demand.