You have full access to this open access article. There is a growing interest in legislation and policies regarding sex work in the European Union and a debate between two opposite perspectives: prostitution is a form of gender violence or a work lacking legal and social recognition.
A search conducted at the end of in bibliographic databases for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods peer-reviewed research, and grey literature published between and resulted in initial references eligible for inclusion.
After applying the selection criteria, 30 records were included in the review. A basic convergent qualitative meta-integration approach to synthesis and integration was used. Research shows multiple impacts on the health, safety, and living and working conditions of sex workers across the EU. Evidence demonstrates that criminalisation and regulation of any form of sex work had negative consequences on sex workers who live in the EU in terms of healthcare, prevalence and risk of contracting HIV and STIs, stigmatisation and discrimination, physical and sexual victimisation, and marginalisation due to marked social inequalities, for both nationals and migrants from outside the EU.
The evidence available makes a strong case for removing any criminal laws and other forms of sanctioning sex workers, clients, and third parties, which are prevalent in the EU, and for decriminalisation. These measures could also positively impact reducing and monitoring human trafficking and exploitation.
In recent decades, in Europe Union EU and worldwide, the discussions about sex work exacerbated, and many countries changed their legislation. This meant that policies are often made in the name of moral and ideological stances, with little concern about their impact on sex workers. Nevertheless, many studies indicate that the legislation has different impacts on the health, safety, and living and working conditions of sex workers.
