Legal aspects: legislation of the Arab countries concerning prohibited industries
In all the Arab countries, without exception, prostitution is prohibited. It is forbidden by Islam, it is forbidden by Sharia, it is forbidden by most Arab laws. For the slightest kiss of a man and a woman, apart from the bond of marriage, is adultery in the sight of Allah. It applies to those who do it for money. This applies to foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims. Any form of prostitution is punishable by imprisonment, fines, deportation, flogging or death, as in Saudi Arabia. Women are often deported. Punishment for both men and women. In a number of Arab countries, there is a religious police force that goes out into the streets to disrupt public Islam against dress codes, alcohol or prostitution. Pressure is significant. Related to laws and public morality.
Then there are the differences between the Gulf countries, where sharia rules. And countries where there is a movement for a more progressive or liberal society, as in Lebanon or, for example, in Tunisia. Prostitution remains illegal everywhere, but the police have not smashed all the entertainment centers, despite the law. In Morocco or Egypt, the government turns a blind eye to certain nightclubs with a western facade. In Lebanon and other countries, girls are called dancers, where they represent themselves in a bar where they can be invited. Such centers were called bars or massage parlors, where they regularly offered services with barter and selective service. This is hypocrisy.
In March 2023, according to The New Arab in Iraq, the initiative calls for tougher laws where alleged prostitutes can be sentenced to 2 years imprisonment (up to 15 years if detained after photos are posted on social media) , and the owners of the supposed centers of the dancer - Ball parties etc. d. - 10 years. The anti-violence movement because of the discourses that the population opposes, get married and dream about love. Adultery and prostitution have nothing to do with Islamists, and give up free love for a society that respects Islamic laws.
Anti-prostitution legislation in the Arab countries is also often accompanied by increased control by religious police. These measures are aimed at preserving morals, but the effectiveness of such initiatives is often questioned. The shadow industry continues to operate despite criminal punishment, which indicates the limitations of exclusively repressive measures. Law enforcement agencies face a lack of resources, and the laws themselves are often used to pressure vulnerable individuals.
Socio-economic factors: reasons for the existence of a prohibited industry
The illegal industry in the Arab countries is largely due to acute socio-economic factors. Socio-economic factors are an incentive for Arab women to engage in this industry in the region. Women refugees, female workers and women from conflict-affected nations face difficulties in obtaining employment and income opportunities in the Arab world. Socio-economic factors form the basis for the growth of the underground economy, including prohibited activities in Islamic countries.
The status of women’s rights and cultural setbacks are heated by women, overwhelming circumstances. Gender inequality in the Arab world systematically restricts women’s access to the legal labor market. Women who are denied the right to work, and to the home and to move around without the permission of their husbands or guardians have no choice but to remain dependent. This situation allows for the systematic denial or rejection of Arab women’s rights and states, and wider social strata.
Economic migration and worsening economic hardship have encouraged women to move to richer Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Arab world. Once they get there, they face false promises regarding the alleged hiring and are trapped involved through deception and coercion in the sex industry in the Middle East. The alleged work opportunities lead to sexual exploitation, street prostitution and hard-core exploitation of women migrant workers - through the use of the kafala system. Women’s rights are systematically denied in both cases employment and access to issues of work ethics. Economic migration, unlike other targeted social issues, points to increased economic hardship in the study of prostitution-related motivations.
Women are socially and economically marginalized and neglected by systems that deny them the right to decent work. Underground industry becomes sometimes a way to live and avoid women’s future. Social problems reinforce discrimination, while Arab women face complex problems that make it difficult for them to leave prostitution even after they have managed to break out of its closed circle. Addressing female slavery and sexual exploitation liberalization and legalization or decriminalization is primarily an expression of a comprehensive programme aimed at addressing the economic, regulatory and cultural basis of prostitution.
Regional features: comparative analysis of the situation in different Arab countries
The situation in the Arab world varies according to the political and social context, as well as the level of economic development. In the Gulf countries - Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia - women from the former Soviet Union, Lebanon, Thailand and Eastern European countries currently dominate the service sector, Who come on their own initiative and risk being officially expelled if they are «overtaxed» with active activities, since prostitution in the Arab world is completely prohibited.
North Africa - Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco - has a large number of indigenous women, for whom tourism has sometimes been a dead-end solution to the problem of maintaining the minimum poverty threshold. The police turn a blind eye to prostitution in tourist areas, and laws that are harsh and unforgiving outside these areas do not apply to prostitution, which thrives on the covered rubber coasts.
Prostitution is most widespread in the Arab countries where extremist movements are present, and the political situation is more volatile than ever: Yemen, Libya, and Syria. The onslaught of the armed movements has on several occasions forced many families to settle in displaced people’s camps, where only a few cases of clandestine prostitution among refugees have been recorded. In conjunction with illiteracy and poverty, prostitution is the ultimate manifestation of women’s vulnerability in these countries.
Even in those mega-cities where control is greatest, such as Riyadh or Dubai, the underground industry has hardly disappeared. It is transformed - and goes into club or almost family forms. The provinces, unlike megacities, are homogeneous social environments where extremely high social pressure is exerted, dominated by one worldview - traditional values.
The situation in the Arab countries varies considerably according to the economic well-being of the state, its level of political and social stability, as well as the influence on the public of a particular religious institution. For example, in the Gulf countries such as the UAE, Qatar or Saudi Arabia, there are extremely high incomes, particularly due to the development of the oil industry complex, but also very strict Islamic legislation on prohibited positions. Active activity in the field of illegal prostitution is traced here on the only level - escorts and private parties, which often take place in circles of Arab elite in high-class hotels and «under cover».
In North Africa - Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco - the situation is somewhat different. The poverty rate is higher, tourist areas have become a hotbed of illegal activities. Prostitution is perceived as the only way to survive and maintain even a minimum financial level. This is mostly done by women who have no access to education or work. The state is smoothing it out, while able-bodied tourists continue to give their money.
Political instability and armed conflicts in countries such as Yemen, Libya and Syria have led to a sharp rise in sexual exploitation and trafficking among refugees, with numerous reports of human trafficking from displaced persons camps. In areas not under the control of the State, there is little or no compliance with anti-trafficking standards and/or accountability for offenders. Women and children in such regions are the most vulnerable members of society. Even in such large mega-cities with strong policies of control at the legislative level as Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Dubai, the Arab countries' shadow industry in these areas is thriving successfully, adapting to conditions through entertainment, private subscription clubs, social networks and messengers. While in provincial regions, where cultural norms are a significant barrier to the use of certain services due to false shame and is a tool for psychological pressure and manipulation, these problems are statistically less visible, but locally more extensive.
The problem of human trafficking and forced exploitation
International initiatives have been taken by the international community for human trafficking in Arab countries. This also applies to the fight against prostitution in the Arab countries. This is the effort of the UN and international bodies such as UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime), which have developed global plans to combat this problem, studying the extent and trends of this phenomenon and developing recommendations and tools that can help countries to develop their policies and laws against prostitution. These organizations, in cooperation with international conventions such as the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, are also trying to establish human rights standards and mechanisms for cooperation, Assistance and monitoring of trafficking in women. However, they face various challenges such as lack of commitment, political will and resources on the part of governments.
Regional initiatives also exist in the Arab countries themselves. These initiatives are undertaken by non-governmental organizations and human rights defenders, who try to help and protect victims and raise awareness of these abuses and their consequences. They provide counselling, medical care, housing, psychological evaluation, employment and social reintegration to women who have been freed from bondage or victims of infertility. However, they face repression from the authorities and cultural barriers such as the stigmatization of women and the intelligence of their work. They also face a lack of resources and information, as they do not always have access to victims or the ability to report cases of abuse. However, they play an important role in advancing the issue of prostitution and trafficking in women.
The police and law enforcement agencies of countries are making efforts to suppress and repress illegal prostitution and human trafficking. They work to expose the networks that organize and benefit from these crimes, conduct raids into places of prostitution, negotiate with victims to obtain information, and arrest and charge individuals or groups, involved in such actions. They also cooperate with other countries in the extradition of criminals and the release of victims. However, their efforts are often in vain because of a number of factors, such as corruption, the shortcomings of the system and the authorities' weak commitment to combating the crimes themselves. They face human, resource, equipment and support problems from the authorities and the population. They may need institutional reform and improved cooperation with international organizations to become more effective. In caring for their efforts for a world where criminalization is a tool rather than an end, police interventions can ensure that they will put an end to threats from victims and provide them with protection, support, and alternatives.
Education and media activities are also capable of prevention. Through social networks, television and educational programs, young people are informed about the risks of exploitation and women’s rights. This is especially important in a context where real official state institutions are showing up. Creating public awareness helps to reduce the stigma and contempt for women.
In the future, not only legal but also human interaction should be expanded. Rehabilitation programs, inclusions, support for women in vulnerable situations are certainly part of sustainable development. programs. The involvement of international NGOs and donors in this situation is a success story. Without an integrated approach and cross-sectoral interaction, the eastern discussions will remain in educational meetings in their countries.
Cultural contradictions: traditional values and shadow reality
Prostitution in the Arab world exists despite strict religious notions of morality and honor. Conservative societies officially deny the existence of prostitution, but at the same time it is a deeply rooted practice in cities. This reflects the apparent discrepancy between officially stated moral ground and reality. Discrimination is particularly evident in large metropolitan areas, where religious images are associated with well-established practices of prostitution.
A culture of shame and social control puts enormous pressure on women, especially local ones. For them, engaging in the sex industry comes at a high cost: shame on the family, rejection by the community and even physical violence. However, foreigners are allowed to engage in prostitution without being subjected to similar pressure, which demonstrates the existence of double standards. These standards form misperception, stigma and provide insufficient help.
Religious organizations and clergy play a major role in this. Under the influence of Islam and Sharia, any discussion of prostitution is considered taboo. This prevents the open conversation that is necessary for a constructive approach to the problem. As a result, the facts are hushed up and the victims are not helped.
However, initiatives are beginning to emerge in some Arab countries to reimagine these cultural traditions. Young people, especially women, are increasingly opposed to outdated ideas. These changes are reflected in social media, independent journalism and education. However, the path to a more open and honest discussion remains long and requires political will.
But one thing is clear: no noticeable improvement in prostitution will be achieved until it starts to worry the country’s population. The proof of this will be the willingness of the population to accept changes, so that the proclaimed law does not conflict with the actual practice.
Today, the opinions of the people and the arguments of reformers are two disparate multitudes, and the authorities are not always ready to argue with the people that comprise their electorate. There is often the effect of «screwdriving» under the pressure of an older part of its population and the most conservative part of cult servants, in other words, popos. And the new order on paper continues to coexist completely unnoticed with the old arrangement in practice. But at least the ephemeral contextual prohibition and the written law should help. At the same time, their restriction should contribute to the full development of those debates that result in their transformation in one direction or another.
International efforts and local initiatives to counter
The international community has adopted a multifaceted approach to combating prostitution and trafficking in women in the Arab countries. This includes initiatives by the UN and international agencies such as UNODC, which develop global strategies, conduct research, and offer tools to help countries develop Islamic policies and legislation against these crimes. Such agencies, in conjunction with international conventions, promote appropriate legislation and cooperation by encouraging countries to act.
Arab countries have local NGOs and human rights organizations that protect victims and raise awareness. They provide care, medicine, shelter, psychological examination, employment and social reintegration for women released from such conditions. However, their role may be minimized by lack of resources, repression and information. Nevertheless, they play an important role in protecting victims and in studying tragic circumstances.
Police and law enforcement agencies of countries can take action to curb and suppress illegal prostitution and human trafficking. They work to expose networks or groups organizing crime, conduct raids into prostitution and cooperate with other countries to arrest traffickers. However, they can be countered by corruption, committee shortcomings and weak efforts. They may need institutional reforms, better cooperation with intergovernmental organizations and protection of victims and alternatives.
Education and the media can also contribute to prevention. Through social networks, television and educational programmes, young people are informed about the risks of exploitation and women’s rights. This is especially important in a context where official state institutions demonstrate reality. Attracting public attention helps to reduce stigma and contempt. It also becomes productive the attention of disputing press to shady practices, the practice of charity. social workers. social workers. community.
In the future, not only legal but also human interaction should be expanded. Rehabilitation, inclusion and support programmes for women in vulnerable situations are integral parts of sustainable development programmes. The active involvement of international non-profit donors in this situation can be a success. Without an integrated approach and cross-sectoral interaction, the eastern discussions will remain in educational meetings in their countries.
Current trends and prospects for solving the problem
Contemporary trends in the Arab world point to a complex interweaving of new technologies and traditional norms. Digitization is opening up both new threats and tools to control the spread of illegal services in the Islamic world. On the one hand, the Internet and social networks made it easier to access the underground industry, recruit victims and interact with customers more anonymously. On the other hand, technology allows government agencies to monitor and stop illegal activities.
Legislative initiatives in a number of countries have shown a gradual shift towards a more humane approach. Alternatives to criminal punishment, including rehabilitation programmes, psychological support and social integration measures, are increasingly being considered. The focus shifts from repression to prevention and addressing the root causes of involvement in prohibited activities. However, such reforms are still being implemented in a piecemeal manner and require large-scale implementation.
The role of human rights organizations and women’s movements continues to grow, especially in the context of social media and independent journalism. They raise topics that were previously considered taboo and contribute to the creation of new forms of social dialogue. The presence of women in media, politics and activism contributes to rethinking gender roles and stereotypes. This movement is gradually influencing public expectations and norms of behavior.
International conventions and cross-border exchange of experiences are becoming a source of inspiration for local reforms. Countries that adopt an integrated approach to the problem - protection, education, prevention and support - show more sustainable results. This is especially important for regions with a high degree of religious and cultural conservatism. Dialogue with the international community contributes to the legitimization of human rights initiatives within countries.
In the long term, a solution to the problem of prostitution in the Arab world can only be found through a comprehensive transformation of the social, legal and cultural environment. There is a need for sustainable social protection, equal access to education and employment, and greater institutional transparency. Only with the broad involvement of all segments of society can real change be achieved. This is a difficult path, but one that is vital to the region’s future.
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