France clamps down on sex work for Paris Olympics

PARIS – As Paris hosts the 2024 Olympics, undocumented Chinese sex worker Hua says increased police patrols are threatening her livelihood.

"I really feel under pressure, I'm constantly scared. Every day, there are police checks," the 55-year-old said, using a different name so as not to be recognised.

"So I go out less and less to work."

Around 40,000 people -- the overwhelming majority women -- sell or are exploited for sex in France, according to government and charity estimates.

Under French law, selling sex is allowed, but it is illegal to exploit someone or pay for sex, placing the criminal responsibility on pimps and clients.

It is more complicated however if the sex worker is undocumented.

"I'm so scared that I'll be arrested that I won't work in the street during the Olympics," added the divorcee, who came to France seven years ago hoping to earn a decent wage as a domestic cleaner, and has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

"If they arrest me, I'll be sent back to China and they won't give me medical care over there."

Inside an office of the Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World) charity in the northeastern Paris neighbourhood of Belleville, she broke down in tears.

"I don't understand, what have we ever done to anybody?" said the Chinese woman, who says she sometimes sells her services to nicer clients for just 20 euros ($21) because "they don't have money, and neither do I".

In another part of Paris, on a street famous for the sex trade near the city centre, Mylene Juste was on the lookout for clients.

She said she was most bothered by new security rules limiting pedestrian and traffic movement around Paris.

"Our regulars won't be able to make it with all the restrictions in place," said Juste, 50, a sex worker for 22 years.

"And I don't think the tourists walking by will be leaping on us. So we're getting out of here," she added.

Ahead of the opening ceremony along the River Seine for the fortnight long sports fiesta that took place on Friday, sex workers like Hua and Juste all but disappeared from their usual Paris haunts.

But with most sex trade online these days, police battling sexual exploitation are also focusing their efforts there.

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