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Thu, November 30, 2023 | 16:02
-------------------------
Constitutional Court starts hearings on anti-sex trade law
"성매매 처벌 불가피" vs "생계형 허용해야" 헌재 격론
Posted : 2015-04-09 16:42
Updated : 2015-04-09 18:51
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By Jung Min-ho

The Constitutional Court opened public hearings to rule on whether the country's anti-sex trade law is constitutional.

Opponents of the law say sexual acts between adults, made without exploitation or coercion, should be left to individuals' sexual self-determination, and the state should not intervene in such acts. In contrast, proponents have expressed concerns that abolishing the law could increase the number of prostitutes and create bigger social problems.

The court is expected to make a ruling this year after holding several rounds of hearings.

Kim Kang-ja, a former chief at the Jongam Police Station who led many crackdowns on the industry in the 2000s, said her operations only worsened the situation of sex workers, many of whom were undereducated and could not find anything else to do for living.

"Without a proper social system in which they can feed and educate themselves, the crackdowns failed to eradicate prostitution," she said. "The current system pushes sex workers to places where their rights are largely abused by pimps or buyers."

For those who have nothing else to do for living, she said, prostitution should be legalized in limited areas.

Korea University Law School Professor Park Kyung-shin echoed her views.

"Women's rights activists say that sex workers are the victims of crimes. But that doesn't make sense, if their actions are voluntary, which is actually the case for many," he said. "To justify criminalizing sex buyers, the government must set up the environment where everyone can tell who the voluntary workers are."

Lawyer Choi Hyun-hee disagreed. She said prostitution could lead many adolescents into the sex business.

She also said that it would cause more human trafficking and sex crimes, while sex workers' rights will still be violated in many other forms.

"Because it a human rights issue, prostitution cannot be justified only by people's right to have sex or make choices," she said.

In 2013, the Seoul Northern District Court asked for a constitutional judgment on the anti-sex trade law, which stipulates a punishment of up to one year or a fine of up to 3 million won for those who sell or buy sex.

Ahead of the arguments at the Constitutional Court, a group of prostitutes turned in a petition with 882 signatures to the court, claiming that the anti-sex trade law was no good for them or society.

"There are no victims as long as prostitution is not forced or extorted," they said in a statement. "We don't believe that preventing prostitution is more ethical, given that shady sex trades possess more risks to sex workers."


"성매매 처벌 불가피" vs "생계형 허용해야" 헌재 격론

첫 성매매특별법 공개변론…특정 지역 허용-일부 허용 불가 맞서

'개인의 내밀한 부분까지 국가가 형벌을 가해야 하나', '인간의 존엄 지키는 공익적 필요성 크다'

9일 헌법재판소 대심판정에서 열린 성매매 특별법 위헌심판 공개변론에서 생계를 위한 자발적 성매매를 처벌대상으로 삼을 수 있는지를 두고 격렬한 논쟁이 이어졌다.

성매매 특별법 21조 1항은 성판매자와 구매자를 모두 처벌대상으로 삼고 있지만, 위헌법률심판 제청을 신청한 성매매 여성 김모씨 측에서는 전면 합법화보다는 생계를 위한 어쩔 수 없는 성매매만큼은 허용해야 한다고 주장했다.

김씨 측 대리인인 법무법인 정률의 정관영 변호사는 '이 여성들은 성매매 이외에 다른 생계수단이 없는 상황'이라며 '가장 원하는 것은 제한된 구역의 성매매는 처벌하지 말고 그외의 지역은 처벌하는 것'이라고 말했다.

독일이나 네덜란드처럼 특정지역에서 이뤄지는 생계형 성매매는 처벌대상에서 제외하고, 성매매 알선자나 포주들에 대해서는 처벌해달라는 의미다.

정 변호사는 성매수자 처벌에 대해서는 유보적 입장을 취했다.

김씨 측 참고인으로 나선 박경신 고려대 법학전문대학원 교수도 '세계적 추세는 성판매자는 처벌하지 않고있다'며 '성매수자만 처벌해도 충분하다'고 주장했다.

박 교수는 이를 사교육에 비유해 '사교육을 금지한다고 해서 사교육을 받는 학생을 형사처벌하지는 않는다'고 설명했다.

김강자 전 서울 종암경찰서장도 '특정지역에서만 성매매를 하도록 허용하고 비생계형 성매매는 처벌해야 한다'고 주장했다.

그러나 법무부 측은 '우리 사회에서는 성매매가 잘못된 것이고 금지해야 한다는 공감대가 있다'며 '일부만 따로 허용할 수는 없다'고 맞섰다.

법무부 측은 '최소한 우리 헌법체제 안에서는 돈으로 성을 사고파는 것이 용인된다고 보기 어렵다'며 '성매매를 금지하고 처벌하는 데 대한 공익적 필요성이 크다'고 지적했다.

오경식 강릉원주대학교 법학과 교수는 '피해자 보호가 미흡하다고 위헌이라고 선언하면 사회적 혼란을 감당해야 한다'며 '위헌의 문제가 아니라 국가의 정책적·제도적 개선으로 해결할 문제'라고 합헌론에 힘을 보탰다.

오 교수는 또 '특정지역에만 성매매를 허용하면 님비(NIMBY·기피시설을 반대하는 지역이기주의) 현상이 발생하는 문제가 있다'고 말했다.

최현희 변호사도 '성매매를 근절하려면 형사처벌이 불가피하다'며 '성매매는 인간을 대상화하고 자율성을 침해한다는 점에서 성적 자기결정권이나 직업의 자유 문제로 논할 수는 없다'고 지적했다.

성매매 특별법은 2000년과 2002년 군산에서 연이어 발생한 집창촌 화재가 계기가 돼 만들어졌다.

당시 숨진 성매매 여성들의 일기장을 통해 쇠창살이 있는 방에서 매를 맞으며 성매매를 강요당했던 여성들의 실상이 드러나면서 이들을 보호하려는 목적으로 만들어진 것이다.

그러나 이후 집창촌 단속이 이뤄지자 성매매 여성들은 오히려 생존권 위협이라며 반발하고 나섰고, 성매매를 하다 적발돼 재판에 넘겨진 김씨의 신청으로 결국 위헌법률심판대에까지 오르게 됐다.

애초 이날 공개변론은 오후 2시부터 4시까지 두 시간으로 예정됐지만 재판관들의 질문이 쏟아지면서 4시간가량 이어졌다.

헌재는 이르면 올해 안에 위헌 여부를 가릴 예정이다. (연합뉴스)
Emailmj6c2@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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