Police estimate as many as women are working as prostitutes in the Colonia Marconi, an industrial estate some 10 kilometers south of the capital in the Villaverde district, most of them Romanians and Nigerians. In summer, business is slow; in general, afternoons and night are the busiest times of day.
Over the last decade, as successive City Hall administrations have forced sex workers off city center streets and the Casa de Campo park, Villaverde has become one of the main areas for prostitution Measures such as banning cars from the area after 10pm have had little impact on reducing numbers. Provincial Brigade officers estimate as many as women are working as prostitutes in the nearby industrial estate, most them of Romanian and Nigerian. The law has been criticized by opposition parties, United Nations experts, journalists and rights groups, who say it curtails free assembly and expression.
The measure was drawn up following a wave of anti-government protests in as Spain was in the throes of the financial crisis. Similarly, the new legislation allows police to move in when they see a driver stop to talk to a woman or if they see anything resembling soliciting close to children.
The new law has been criticised by opposition parties, United Nations experts, journalists and rights groups. After stopping a suspicious vehicle, one officers asks the driver for his license and ID while another speaks to the prostitute to ascertain whether she is working against her will. Meanwhile, a fine is issued to men accused of soliciting. The police officers say that, far from fitting a stereotype, the men they fine vary in both age and status: battered vans mix with brand new high-end vehicles.
What we also see is that they come and go. Sometimes they work the clubs, then they take a turn on the streets. The women are out 24 hours a day, rain or shine. And their working environment is a cesspit littered with used condoms and other trash. The prostitutes stand several meters apart so that the customers can see them clearly. But we report them anyway. English version by Heather Galloway. Javier Barroso.
