Croatia Needs to Decriminalize Sex Work, Research Says

Croatian law on sex work is outdated and vague. Photo: EPA-EFE/YOAN VALAT

Support systems and exit strategies should also be established for people who want to get out of sex work, and the voices of people who sell sexual services should be included in the drafting of public policies, it was said at the final conference of the "Regulation of Sex Work in Croatia" project of the Ivo Pilar Institute for Social Sciences.

Croatia currently deals with sex work, unless it is forced, under the Law on Offences Against Public Order and Peace, punishable by fines or a prison sentence up to 30 days.

The research included analysis of existing laws and court practices, a survey of the views of experts on sex work and legal solutions and the experiences of people engaged in sex work. Finally, guidelines were drawn up for policymakers and policy implementers.

Ivana Radacic, leader of the project, which has been implemented since 2019, pointed out that the results revealed of their work had inconsistencies with international standards for the protection of human rights.

"Our law that punishes people who sell sexual services is not in accordance with international legal standards, and at the same time there are inconsistencies with human rights in court and police practice. The stories of people who do this are very different," said Radacic.

The reason why people engage in sex work is generally economic, she said; for some it is a necessity, and for some it is other interests - they can organize their own time, earn money, it is a way of earning suits them, or they have sexual interests.

"The story is economic and it is necessary to address the unfavorable life circumstances of people who deal with it and to establish a support system, as...