“No one enters and remains in prostitution voluntarily,” a women’s rights’ activist was quoted as saying in this newspaper. She also said that “most often women in prostitution do not pocket a penny from their clients”.

Have these so-called women’s rights’ activists never been to red light districts where prostitution and even brothels are completely legal and regulated?

Have these women never watched the documentary Ouwehoeren, which chronicles the lives of twins Louise and Martine Fokkens, 69, who voluntarily worked as prostitutes in the red light district in Amsterdam for over 40 years?

In 2007, thanks to the activism of ex-prostitute Mariska Majoor, a bronze statue celebrating sex workers was unveiled on the Oudekerksplein, a plaza in the centre of Amsterdam’s red light district (photo).

“Respect sex workers all over the world” says a small plaque on the base. Majoor considers prostitution a social good, not just a necessary evil. She is a firm believer in full legalisation and is adamant that “Prostitution is only safe when it’s legal”.

As expected, women’s rights’ activists in Malta want to adopt the Swedish model, which criminalises the user. Other countries are thinking of following suit too. Majoor insists this would be a disaster. She argues that the problem for prostitutes is not too little regulation but too much. “We call the taxman our biggest pimp,” she says.

What do I think of the efforts of women’s rights’ activists who enjoy blowing smoke in people’s faces? By advocating for anything other than the legalisation of prostitution, they’re just driving it underground and making life more dangerous for the sex workers who have chosen it as their trade.