Marbella: A New Hub for Prostitution
Marbella, a popular tourist destination, is now gaining notoriety as a prostitution hotspot. A legal loophole is allowing pimps to operate out of ordinary apartments, turning the city into a clandestine red-light district.
Unassuming Apartments: The New Brothels
In the heart of Marbella, tourists and locals alike enjoy the old town, sip cocktails, and bask in the sun at the beach, oblivious to the fact that they could be in close proximity to a brothel. Since the onset of the pandemic, pimps have been exploiting a network of flats across the Costa del Sol, according to Malaga Hoy.
The Legal Loophole
The growing trend of using apartments as brothels is due to a legal loophole. Police are unable to enter a ‘home’ without a court order. Judges, on the other hand, will not issue such an order unless there is substantial evidence of criminal activity taking place within the property.
Local Council Unaware of the Situation
The local council claims to be unaware of the situation. They have stated that they would collaborate with security forces and social services if they were made aware of private residences being used as brothels.
Charity Speaks Out
However, Mujer Emancipada, a women’s charity, has a different perspective. They claim that street prostitution has decreased because it has shifted to more private spaces, making it harder for the police and social services to intervene.
Immigrant Women Trapped in Sex Work
Many of the women involved in this clandestine sex trade are immigrants who have arrived in Spain burdened with debt to criminal organizations. This debt is then used as a means to force them into sex work.
Sanctions on Sex Workers Increase
The situation is further complicated by an increase in sanctions on sex workers. Over the past year, the number of sanctions issued to those offering sexual services near schools, parks, residential areas, and businesses has risen by 130%.
Charity Calls for a Different Approach
Nuevo Hogar Betania, a charity working with socially excluded individuals, argues that these sanctions do not address the root cause of the problem. The charity’s founder, Begoña Arana, advocates for fining clients of sex workers and focusing police efforts on stag parties and apartments where young sex workers are often exploited.
Shocking Case of Prostitution Ring
Earlier this year, a shocking case came to light where 34 people were arrested for their involvement in a prostitution ring operating along the Costa del Sol. Twenty women were freed from sex work in Marbella, Estepona, and Algeciras.
Victims of Exploitation
Many of the victims were Colombian women who were lured to Spain with the promise of stable work. Upon arrival, they were informed that they were in debt to the criminal gang for their travel expenses and were forced to repay this debt through sex work. The victims were made to work for long hours and were closely monitored through CCTV cameras.
