On Sunday, February 12, 2012 the Ministerial Committee for Legislation gave its initial approval to a new bill that targets sex buyers in Israel. The new legislation, proposed by MK Orit Zuaretz, makes paying for sexual services a criminal offense–imposing a sentence of up to six months imprisonment or community service. It follows the model of the Swedish legislation first passed in 1999, now known as the “Nordic model,” which shifts responsibility to sex buyers, who fuel demand and, thus, the perpetuation of the sex industry.
According to Rabbi Levi D. Lauer, the vote in the Ministerial Committee is “a victory for all who seek to free Israel from the evils of sex trafficking and the degradation of women and children. The message is clear: human bodies are no longer for sale in an enlightened society; trafficking in sexual services and prostitution are no longer legitimate enterprises on our streets; clients who rape sex slaves and make women and children the victims of their perverse power are now criminals.”
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