The government will in the summer launch a public consultation on legislation to regulate gentlemen's clubs, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said on TimesTalk this evening.

He said the sector was currently only regulated under the law on morality, which was insufficient, particularly in view of various court judgements.

New legislation would be enacted after consultation with operators, stakeholders and NGOs. 

Tonight’s edition of Times Talk featured an interview with a lap dancer in a gentleman’s club and anthropologist John Micallef. 

The guests on the programme were gentleman’s club owner Ronnie Axisa, entrepreneur Kevin Decesare and Roberta Lepre, director of Victim Support Malta.

Mr Axisa, when asked if these were gentlemen’s clubs or strip clubs, said these were gentlemen’s clubs. They followed certain rules, limited to table dancing in terms of morality. He said the performers - from Eastern Europe - were in the clubs of their own free will. Some were here with their husbands and children, he said. They were freelancers and their pay was what they got from clients.

Kevin Decesare said the sector had grown quickly – with some 11 in Paceville alone. He was not against such clubs as long as they were regulated. The current lack of regulation and the way the clubs had mushroomed was over-powering and a problem. He had had one instance when a female conference organiser almost called off the event because she feared the area was unsafe - which was not the case.

A lap dancer (see videos below) said the clubs were ‘never’ a front for prostitution and performers ended up listening to all sort of problems which their clients had. She said the performers were free and nobody interfered in their life. She said they were not doing anything immoral. "They just received a talk and some advice, we are wearing shorts and a bra, go to the beach there are people topless," she said.

Mr Axisa said clients did ask for sex but that was refused, and they often walked out.

Mr Axisa agreed that sometimes discipline was needed in the way the girls approached potential clients. Loitering was not allowed.

Dr Lepre underlined the need to ensure there was no exploitation and that the women were in the clubs out of their own free will. She also said one also needed to see how such clubs triggered sex addiction and what impact there was on relationships.

Abroad, it was found that where there was a high number of such clubs, there was an increase in sexual aggression and assaults. 

She said she was not advocating closure of the clubs. Adults could make their choices, as long as they were informed.

A repeat of the programme will be uploaded on the website tomorrow. See clips from the programme above and below.

Researcher John Micallef

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