A Clean Slate Isn’t Charity, It’s Public Policy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YclR4ZvD9Ng
There’s a moment in every rehabilitation story that doesn’t make it into the inspirational quotes. It’s not the first day sober, or the first job interview, or even the first night of safe sleep. It’s the moment a person realizes the past hasn’t just hurt them, it’s still billing them.
For one woman, a survivor of the sex trade, that bill came in the form of 77 fines totaling about 100,000 shekels. Not a “mistake,” not a single misstep—an accumulated record of survival under conditions most of us are lucky never to face. A teenager subjected to severe sexual assault. A descent into prostitution, drug dependence, and life on the street. And then, against the odds, a decision to climb out.
She did what we demand people do when we speak about “responsibility.” She sought help. With the support of a mobile clinic operated through the Haifa Health Bureau, she got clean. She started looking for work. She began the slow, grinding work of rebuilding a life.
And then she hit a wall made of paperwork.
A six-figure debt doesn’t just punish. It paralyzes. It restricts movement, employment, stability—everything rehabilitation requires. It becomes an anchor disguised as accountability: a millstone around the neck of someone trying to swim to shore.
That is why the decision by Israel’s Enforcement and Collection Authority to erase the full amount is more than a compassionate gesture. It’s a statement—rare, and therefore revealing—about what real rehabilitation actually needs.
Attorney Tamar Stachel-Devor of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, which provides free legal aid to marginalized populations, described the case as exceptional. It was referred to JIJ's free legal aid department by social worker Noga Shiloh from the mobile clinic, and it succeeded because the system was persuaded to see what the numbers usually hide: this wasn’t a “serial offender.” This was a person who had been failed repeatedly—and was still trying.
We should pause on that word: exceptional.
Why should it be exceptional to recognize that fines piled on vulnerable people often function less like deterrence and more like lifelong barriers? Why should the state need a rare, hard-won intervention to do what’s plainly rational: remove obstacles that make recovery less likely, not more?
Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: debt is one of the quietest ways we keep people trapped. It is the bureaucracy’s version of a closed door. And when it’s applied to survivors of exploitation, it starts to resemble a second punishment—this time for daring to survive in the first place.
Canceling 100,000 shekels doesn’t erase the harm she endured. But it does something almost as important: it restores the possibility of a future that isn’t permanently hostage to her past.
“It gives her hope,” said her attorney, Tamar.
Hope isn’t a slogan. It’s infrastructure. And sometimes, the most effective rehabilitation program begins with the simplest policy decision of all: stop charging people for their trauma.
Originally published in Ynet
Input to UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls
Letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls
The Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ) expresses its appreciation for Ms. Reem Alsalem's October 2024 Position Paper on exit programs for women in prostitution and submits input for her forthcoming UN report on sex-based violence. Israel's adoption of the Abolitionist/Nordic Model in 2018 marked a regional milestone in combatting prostitution, criminalizing the purchase of sex while supporting rehabilitative programs for victims. Despite increased public awareness and legal frameworks, enforcement remains weak, with online exploitation rising. JIJ urges stronger penalties, educational programs, and regulatory measures to combat the industry’s digital shift. It also calls for UN-led data analysis and a global exchange of best practices.
January 30th, 2025
Dear Ms. Reem Alsalem,
We deeply appreciate your October 2024 Position Paper on lessons learned from the
implementation of exit programs for women in prostitution. In support of your forthcoming report
to the UN Human Rights Council on new frontiers and emerging issues of the forms of sex-based
violence against women and girls, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice submits this input concerning
the rights of prostituted women and girls in Israel.
On December 31, 2018, the Israeli Knesset officially adopted the Prohibition on Consuming
Prostitution Act. This law is based on the Abolitionist/Equality/Nordic Model which has been
implemented by Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Canada, Ireland, France, the Republic of Korea,
Northern Ireland, and the State of Maine in the United States. In adopting this law, Israel became
the first state in the Middle East region to adopt the Abolitionist model for combatting the
exploitation of women and girls in the prostitution industry.
As a core member of the Coalition Against Human Trafficking and Prostitution, a task force of 20
Israeli civil society organizations, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ) led the effort to develop
and promote this legal framework within Israel. JIJ remains engaged in the law’s implementation
as a provider of pro bono legal services for trafficked women and girls. In 2024, we provided legal
aid to 9 women and girls exiting the prostitution industry, securing their rights to housing, debt
relief, and lawful immigration status.
Israel’s Approach to Punishing Consumers of Prostitution
The Israeli version of the Abolitionist Model defines consumption of prostitution as a civil offense
for which violators can be fined 2,000 NIS ($500 USD) for a first offense and 4,000 NIS ($1,000
USD) for subsequent violations. Serial offenders can be fined as much as 70,000 NIS ($20,000
USD) and face possible incarceration. Crucially, the law assumes that any woman found inside a
brothel is a victim of exploitation, and a man found in a brothel is an unlawful consumer, regardless
of his claims to the contrary.
The law offers violators the option, instead of paying a fine, of attending a series of educational
sessions given by the Adult Probation Service, whose objective is to change the offender’s
perspectives on the consumption of prostitution. The law also provides funding for the
rehabilitation of victims, and obligates the Ministries of Social Services and Homeland Security
to report annually to the Knesset Constitution Committee regarding the law’s implementation and
its effect on the rehabilitation of and assistance given to prostituted people.
The Challenges of Implementation
In 2016, Israel’s Welfare Ministry estimated there were 11,420-12,730 prostituted people driving
the country’s 1.2 billion NIS ($318 million USD) industry. According to that report, 71% of
prostituted women said they entered the sex trade out of financial desperation, and 76% said they
would leave the industry if they could.
The Israeli version of the Nordic Model is a five-year temporary order, which entered full
enforcement status at the height of the COVID pandemic. The pandemic severely limited
government and civil society efforts to inform and re-train police and criminal justice professionals
on the new legal framework.
A 2024 study found that the new law’s mass media and public education programs had succeeded
in transforming the Israeli public’s perceptions of the prostitution industry. While a 2016 survey
found that only 39% of Israelis viewed prostituted women as victims of abuse and exploitation, by
2024, 72% of Israelis agreed with this principle, and supported efforts to punish sex buyers.1
Unfortunately, due to a lack of criminal enforcement of this new law, consumption of prostitution
in Israel increased from 7% to 9% during the study period of 2021-2024.2 As reported by Israel’s
Ministry of Justice, only 5,104 fines have been issued to consumers of prostitution since the new
law went into effect.3
In 2025, JIJ and our Coalition partners are fighting to make this law permanent. As occurred in
2018 before the law’s initial passage, we are facing pressure and harassment from pro-prostitution
lobby groups, which seek to reframe prostitution as an act of “empowerment” and mischaracterize
the work and membership of the Coalition.
We are also challenged by the prostitution industry’s movement away from street corners and onto
the internet, including social media platforms like OnlyFans, and encrypted messaging platforms
like Telegram, which pimps in Israel use to lure women and girls from Russia, Belarus, and
Ukraine.
Recommendations
During the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, and the 59th session of the
Human Rights Council, we urge you to:
- Call for civil and criminal penalties for all who profit from the sexual exploitation of
women and girls, whether in person or online;
- Call for UN Women to initiate a comprehensive survey and data analysis on the
implementation of the abolitionist/equality/Nordic model and its effect on victims and
perpetrators;
- Promote the use of precise, survivor-centered terminology, including “prostituted
women and children” rather than “sex workers,” in UN reports, educational materials, and
policy discussions, as recommended in your 2024 Position Paper;
- Call for member states to adopt the following educational programs to change social
perceptions of the prostitution industry:
- Mandatory educational programs for law enforcement, social service providers,
and judicial authorities on the realities of prostitution, including its ties to human
trafficking and organized crime. These programs should align with international
human rights principles and survivor-led advocacy;
- Public education initiatives that challenge the myths surrounding prostitution
and highlight the realities of coercion, exploitation, and harm. This should include
school-based curricula addressing the vulnerability of young women and girls to
commercial sexual exploitation;
- Regulatory measures requiring digital platforms (including social media and
encrypted messaging services) to warn users about the criminal implications of
advertising and purchasing sex, and to implement stricter policies against content
promoting the exploitation of women and girls;
- Convene a side event on Countering the Sexual Exploitation of Women and Girls through
Prostitution, gathering representatives of the 8 UN Member States that have adopted the
Abolitionist/Equality/Nordic Model (Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Canada, Ireland, France,
the Republic of Korea, and Israel) for the purpose of sharing best practices and challenges
to implementation.
In support of these recommendations, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice will be happy to participate
and facilitate inputs from Israeli survivors, advocates, and service providers.
With appreciation,
Flavia Sevald, CEO
1 https://brookdale-web.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/files/RR-009.0-24_Heb_Report.pdf
2 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-809634
3 https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/a-79-322-submission-israel-en.pdf
Statement for the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women
On this International Women's Day, we are proud to share an important discussion taking place today at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
For over a decade, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice has worked tirelessly to end the sex trade in Israel. As part of this mission and as a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, we have submitted a written statement in support of the Commission's theme of "Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls."
JIJ sees the great potential for innovation to further empower women and supports these developments. We must also acknowledge the risks posed by technological advancements, particularly the rise in prostitution facilitated by social media platforms. We are taking steps to combat this phenomenon through our "Project NOA", which promotes legislative initiatives and societal change.
We take this opportunity to appeal to the UN and nations globally to adopt the Nordic model which involves the decriminalization of prostituted people, the criminalization of purchasers and profiteers of sex, as well as education and support services for survivors. We are encouraged by the success of this model in Israel and are confident in its potential to protect vulnerable women and girls.
Please read JIJ's full statement here. Together, we can lead the fight on behalf of women and achieve true gender equality.
A Crime or not a Crime?
By Carol Shi
Should Buyers of Sex Services Be Criminalized?
First Things First: Is Prostitution Bad?
To justify imposing some sort of sanction on purchasers of sex services, we must first acknowledge the dire dangers of prostitution. Prostitution is not merely ‘paid consent for sex’. People in financially vulnerable positions consent to being paid below the minimum wage, or to selling their organs to live. People consent to many things, especially if money is involved, in order to survive. Moreover, the health and safety concerns in prostitution are beyond comprehension – this includes sexual harassment, physical and emotional abuse, rape, and rape without a condom.[1] In the words of a prostitute, ‘What rape is to others is normal to us.’[2] Prostitutes have one of the highest HIV rates of any population studied, with rates as high as 93%.[3] Passing legislation to clamp down on this industry is absolutely crucial. The legalization of prostitution has proven to fail in achieving protection, freedom, or equality – the world is too cruel to allow that. The only way forward is enacting legislation to diminish the demand by penalizing purchasers.
The Knesset’s Dilemma
For the past 8 years, Israel’s government has been in the talks to adopt the ‘Nordic model’ criminalizing the purchaser but not the seller. However, Committee discussions have deviated to adopt a ‘soft’ criminal approach, which is to impose administrative penalties on purchasers, instead of criminalizing them.
An administrative approach looks like this: A man is caught purchasing sex services from a male prostitute. The purchaser is first given a warning. Ignoring this warning and choosing to indulge in another momentary craving, he is caught a second time. This time, he is handed out a fine and is required to attend mandatory workshops on gender equality and how a body is not a commodity. He reluctantly pays the fine, a third of his monthly income in a top financial consulting firm in Tel Aviv. He attends the workshops while thinking of what to watch on Netflix when he goes home. Considering how the fine was insignificant in comparison to his high paying job, he decides to take a risk and try again. He doesn’t get caught. Perfect. He goes again, to his favorite male prostitute whose name he doesn’t even know. He’s caught a third time. Now, not only is he fined half of his monthly income, he’s given a criminal penalty. After four counts of purchasing prostitutes within the two months, he’s finally criminalized. This is what we call ‘scaled criminalization’,[4] while still falling underneath the administrative approach.
Would a criminal penalty on first count have deterred this man in the first place? The answer is likely yes. Criminalization is arguably the strongest deterrence for several key reasons.
The Rule of Law – What is it?
First, criminalization is most effective for countries that uphold the rule of law. The rule of law is that every person must be held accountable to the law, no matter how powerful or influential they are. This includes lawmakers, politicians, and judges. So, when an individual or governmental body contravenes the law, their actions will be assessed by the courts.
How is the rule of law relevant to deterring purchasers of sex services? Here’s how. Israel is a democratic state, and a core element of democracy is to uphold the rule of law.[5] In studies conducted on purchasers of sex services, countries with a stronger level of democracy, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, had a stronger reaction of deterrence to criminal penalties. Israel is ranked 29th in the world, and first in the Middle East in democracy. Thus, it is safe to say that prospective purchasers will certainly be deterred in Israel when criminal sanctions are imposed.
Shame Sucks
Second, there is a strong social stigma associated with criminal convictions. An administrative fine that can be easily paid off, leaving no criminal record or reputation taint. However, because a criminal conviction is ‘harder’ to receive, it more strongly implies guilt – hence, the social stigma.
People fear the social stigma of having a criminal offence being made known to family and friends. [6] In an interview article on Marie Claire, a client of an escort said, ‘Of course, my wife doesn’t know about any of this – if she ever found out she would leave me immediately. I couldn’t bear to lose her. Occasionally, I have nightmares about my teenage sons discovering what I do, which would probably be worse than my wife finding out. No one in the house would ever speak to me again.’[7]
Shame destroys reputation, which is particularly important for middle to upper-middle class men, who value reputation as it provides them with employment opportunities.[8] Shame also influences beliefs, as it affects what one would think is ‘harmless behavior’ to what is reserved for ‘bad types’.[9] Hence, those who consider themselves with decent morals, do not wish to associate themselves with the ‘bad types’. Thus, the shame element of criminalization is one of the highest form of deterrence, which an administrative penalty does not offer.
A Guilty Mind
Third, purchasers are very aware of the harms prostitutes face. A study was conducted on purchasers of sex services in Lebanon. A 21 year-old buyer, a student, stated that ‘of course’ no woman is happy to be a prostitute. He also expressed awareness of pimping and the mistreatment of women.[10] 80% of the buyers surveyed were aware of the poor socio-economic background of women who enter prostitution,[11] implying that they are aware of the vulnerable states of prostitutes. 82% of the buyers understood that women were under the control of a pimp, and 73% even had direct interaction with the pimp.[12] 61% were aware of the exploitative conditions the women were subject to in prostitution.[13] A 30 year-old buyer, again, married with children, stated ‘For some of them, circumstances force them … They talk a lot, but you don’t want to listen.’[14] Such indifference despite the awareness of the circumstances of vulnerable women should be more harshly punished than simply with administrative sanctions.
The Sex Trafficking Epidemic
Finally, criminalization is a stronger stance to abolishing sex trafficking. The fact is that the male demand for prostitution constitutes the root cause for the trafficking of persons.[15] Both prostitution and sex trafficking would not exist without men’s demand for sex services.[16] Essentially, if there is no demand, there will be no supply.
Forced labor and sex trafficking has been a prominent issue in Israel over the past decade. Recently, there has been an increase of women from Eastern Europe who came to Israel with a tourist visa to serve in the sex industry.[17] In the beginning of 2017, 72 women from Ukraine and Georgia were caught attempting to illegally enter Israel for prostitution purposes.[18] Typically, criminals contact women in Russia or Ukraine online, luring them to arrive in Israel to work as sex workers, promising them large sums of money.[19] However, even if an individual initially consents to participating in prostitution, this is completely eradicated if they are subsequently trapped in service through psychological manipulation or physical force, and becomes a victim of sex trafficking.[20] Thus, there is a pressing need to curb sex trafficking in Israel.
The theory that prostitution laws are related to tackling sex trafficking is not new. The economics behind it is simple: demand plays a vital role. Administrative sanctions reduce demand, but criminalization aims to nullify it. According to the Swedish National Criminal Police, the harsh penalties of the criminalization have been an obstacle to human traffickers and organized criminal groups.[21] Thus, criminalization of the purchase of sexual services destroys the incentive for criminal organizations to establish themselves, which will more effectively diminish sex trafficking in Israel.
Looking Ahead
Allow me to conclude with a final illustration: The purchase of sex services is now criminalized. A man with previous prostitute-buying habits decides he has a familiar urge today. As he strolls along a dark and dingy part of Tel Aviv where he used to visit regularly during surges of similar desire. He thinks about the new law recently imposed, and sees himself standing before a court, facing criminal charges. But what are the chances of him actually being caught and bring brought to court? He remembers, he lives in Israel, not Syria. He winces at the resource and time consuming aspects of being taken to court. Curse this upright democratic system that holds individuals accountable when contravening the law! Still, his urges are pressing and he catches a familiar face smirking at him from a corner. He advances towards this young girl, grinning at the thought of what he could do to her. He stops in his steps, considering how this young girl is likely only in this industry due to financially precarious reasons and is likely to be under the manipulation of a pimp. This young girl may or may not be have been trafficked. She may or may not be underage. But his urges call him, so he shrugs his thoughts off and continues towards this young girl. He begins conversation and reaches for his wallet. He pauses. He thinks about how if he is brought to court and faced with criminal charges, what will his family and colleagues say? What will his boss say? What will his high school friends talk about at their annual reunion? His girlfriend will certainly leave him. Word in the banking industry spreads quickly. He’ll have trouble getting a recommendation for job opportunities. This isn’t something he could pay and walk off from. This charge will taint him. He puts his wallet back in his pocket, apologizes to the young girl, and walks away.
[1] Silbert, H. Pines, A. Y. and Lynch, T. (1970). Substance Abuse and Prostitution. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 14, pp. 193-7.
[2] Farley, M. Lynne, J. and Cotton A. J. (2005). Prostitution in Vancouver: Violence and the Colonization of the First Nations Women. Transcult Psychiatry, 42(2), pp. 242-271.
[3] Ward, H. and Day, S. (2006). What Happens to Women Who Sell Sex? Report of a Unique Occupational Cohort. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 82(5), pp. 413-417.
[4] Haaretz. 2018. Israeli gov't committee opts for 'soft criminalization' of prostitute clients - Israel News - Haaretz.com . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-gov-t-committee-opts-for-soft-criminalization-of-prostitute-clients-1.5729971. [Accessed 15 March 2018].
[5] H.C. 910/86 Ressler v. Minister of Defence, [32].
[6] Government Offices of Sweden (2010). Evaluation of the Prohibition of the Purchase of Sexual Services. Swedish Parliament, p. 38.
[7] Thompson, A. (2016). Why Do Men Pay for Sex?. Marie Claire UK. [online] Available at: http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/reports/sex-workers-11125 [Accessed 15 Mar. 2018].
[8] Tang, X. (2013) Shame: A Different Criminal Law Proposal for Bullies. Cleveland State Law Review, 61(3), pp. 649-663.
[9] Ibid.
[10] KAFA (enough) Violence and Exploitation (2014). Exploring the Demand for Prostitution: What Male Buyers Say About Their Motives, Practices, and Perception. Ghada Jabbour, pp. 25.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid, pp. 26.
[13] Ibid, pp. 27.
[14] Ibid, pp. 26.
[15] MacKinnon, C. A. (2011). Trafficking, Prostitution, and Inequality. Harvard Civil Rights – Civil Liberties Law Review, 46(2), pp. 271-309.
[16] Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, A/HRC/23/48, United Nations, 18 March 2013.
[17] Hotline for Refugees and Migrants (2015). Trafficking in Persons in Israel. Tel Aviv, pp. 6.
[18] Yaron, L. (2017). Number of Women Brought to Israel for Prostitution on the Rise - and the Police Are Struggling to Deal With It. Haaretz. [online] Available at: http://www.haaretz.com/misc/haaretzcomsmartphoneapp/.premium-women-brought-to-israel-for-prostitution-on-increase-1.5481624 [Accessed 15 Mar. 2018].
[19] Ibid.
[20] U.S. Department of State (2017). Trafficking in Persons Report, pp. 17.
[21] Government Offices of Sweden (2010). Evaluation of the Prohibition of the Purchase of Sexual Services. Swedish Parliament, pp. 37.