Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/514194
4 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 20 MAY 2015 News Law students' association thinks prostitution should be legalised But experts consulted by University law students association GhSL say legalising sex work would not curb abuse of vulnerable women MATTHEW VELLA A review of Maltese prostitution laws by the University of Malta's law students association (GhSL) has called for a "regularisation of laws" in the Criminal Code so that the code would specifically make prostitution an "independ- ent choice" by sex workers. Prostitution in Malta lacks a definition in the Criminal Code, save for living off the earnings of prostitution, and the prohibition of enforced and child prostitu- tion. Places used for the purposes of prostitution can have their rent automatically terminated, while loitering for prostitution purposes is also illegal. "The cur- rent legal situation in Malta is that voluntary prostitution is not considered to be illegal," the as- sociation said. But GhSL says that an essential part of legalising prostitution should be making it subject to la- bour laws and taxation. "The government would receive revenue from taxation, while prostitutes would receive social benefits. This system can also re- duce the burden on social assist- ance by the State since prostitutes would be claiming their income like any other work," GhSL said. "The main intention behind le- galisation of prostitution ought to be that of making it as safe as possible, especially in health-re- lated matters regarding sexually transmitted diseases… "A suggestion would be that prostitutes operate with a licence, so they can be monitored by au- thorities and can go for regular check-ups at health clinics. Pro- vision and use of contraceptives should be made mandatory. This will also contribute in preventing accidental pregnancies." The association said that sex workers should be able to prac- tise their work without fearing prosecution or being forced or threatened into such work by pimps. The association also consulted sex therapist Dr John Mifsud, who said prostitution should be legalised in order to safeguard the health of the individuals con- cerned. On the other hand, Lorraine Spiteri, chairperson for the Mal- ta Confederation of Women's Organisations (MCWO), said the confederation was strongly against legalisation. "Rather than legalising prosti- tution, the way forward should be to put forward legislation which aims to support prostituted per- sons and consider prostitution as an obstacle to gender equality and a violation of human rights and dignity," she argued. Spiteri told GhSL that legalis- ing prostitution would mean that the government and society were ready to commercialise violence at the expense of women. A public health specialist, Dr Anne Vella, who has worked at the substance misuse clinic for the past 20 years, also said that legalisation would permit the abuse of the most vulnerable. "It is very important to un- derline the fact that both males and females use prostitution as a means to fund their drug or usury problems. Nobody hits the streets indifferently. All tell us of the shame and fear that the work brings along. Yet most of them are not ashamed to admit their drug problem. Therefore it is not the criminality that is the issue but the loss of dignity that shames them. Legalisation will not give them back their dignity." "Many of our clients have se- rious mental, emotional and psychiatric problems. Nobody prostitutes him/her self without having previous abuse, usually sexual abuse. This has long been researched and found to be so. Prostitution enhances and in- creases problems which are al- ready there," Vella said. Frying pan man told policemen he knew where they lived Patrick Sciberras had launched a tirade of insults at the policemen, also threatening them with repercussions to their families and saying he knew where they lived The 30-year-old culprit had caught the Gozo ferry and alighted from the bus he was on to relieve himself MAT THEW AGIUS MORE details have emerged about the incident which led to a man from St Paul 's Bay being conditionally discharged and fined for calling a policeman a frying pan last Friday. The incident had provoked a strong reaction from some quarters, who had felt it to be an excessive reaction to an in- fantile insult. But sources close to the case have clarified that the man, 37-year-old Patrick Sciberras, had launched a ti- rade of insults at the policemen, also threatening them with re- percussions to their families and saying he knew where they lived. This detail had featured in the affidavits of the arrest- ing officers which had been presented, but not read out, in court. The detail gives perspective to what was previously report- ed on Friday by news outlets including MaltaToday, which had said that the man was fined €850 and handed a conditional discharge for allegedly calling a policeman a "frying pan" – an incident which his law yer had claimed to have been blown out of proportion. Sciberras had claimed that he had been waiting to be picked up from a bus stop by a friend, when a motorcycle police- man first rode past them, then stopped and started shout- ing at him, calling the mobile squad and district police to the scene. Man fined, conditionally discharged after urinating against bus shelter MAT THEW AGIUS A court has fined a Somali man after he was arrested for answer- ing the call of nature in public near a bus stop in St Andrews. 30-year-old Jibril Ismail Jibril, who lives in Gozo, had caught the early ferry to Malta with- out taking a bathroom break. He had told police that he could not hold it back and decided to alight the bus to relieve him- self. But Jibril chose his spot poor- ly, electing to relieve himself against a bus shelter even as passengers were boarding. By- standers called the police who promptly arrested him. The accused, who appeared in court with his arm in a sling and assisted by a translator, pleaded guilty and promised the court that he would never do it again, describing it as a one-off. Barely suppressing a smile, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli told Jibril that she hoped he was now aware of what not to do if he again felt the call of nature when in a public place. The court imposed a fine of €100 and conditionally discharged him for 12 months. Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted. Law yer Noel Bar- tolo was legal aid. Valletta ferry to travel by night this summer THE ferry service between Val- letta, Sliema and the Three Cities will operate during the night this summer. Between 1 June and 30 Septem- ber, the last ferry trip between Valletta and Sliema will depart at midnight, while the last crossing between Valletta and Cottonera will depart at 11pm. The final ferry currently docks at 7:30pm. The new schedule was an- nounced following negotiations between the Valletta 2018 foun- dation and the ship's operators, Fortel. "V18 is about the social and economic regeneration of the jewel of Valletta, and its results are starting to show," V18 chair- man Jason Micallef told a press conference held aboard a ferry to Sliema. "We want to breathe more life into Valletta though, and these new ferry times will allow people to travel to the capital by ferry at night to eat out, or visit the Ma- noel Theatre, the Royal Theatre Square and the St James Cavalier. The new hours will also coincide with shop-closing hours." He argued that a ferry ride from Sliema to Valletta only takes five minutes, compared to an hour by car when traffic and parking problems are taken into consid- eration. "Sea transport is the best solu- tion to Malta's traffic problems," Micallef said. "Why are we so be- hind other countries with regard to alternative means of trans- port? Malta needs to change its mentality that people have to travel everywhere by car." Marsamxetto Steamferry Services Ltd managing director Michael Zammit Tabona said that the new service will be ex- tended to winter if the summer service proves to be a success. He appealed to Valletta restau- rateurs and shop owners to pro- mote the ferry service and hand out ferry timetables to customers along with their bills. "After all, this extended service is for them," he said.