Skip to main content
Women for sale – but at what cost?
From prostitution to surrogacy, access to women’s bodies can be bought for a fee. LYNNE WALSH reports from a conference exploring the mounting crisis in which women are increasingly seen as products to be consumed

HARROWING personal testimony from survivors of prostitution and surrogacy underpinned a significant conference held in London earlier this month.

Its overwhelming message was unassailable — that capitalism has won a grim monopoly on women’s bodies, and shows no evidence of destroying itself. Quite the opposite, these pernicious industries are destroying lives and preying on the vulnerable, while rewarding the moneygrubbing and selfish.

For the British grassroots women’s group Nordic Model Now!, this was the latest in a series of highly successful events, aimed at the abolition of prostitution and related practices such as lapdancing, pornography and surrogacy.

Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
International Women's Day 2025 / 8 March 2025
8 March 2025
With most of recorded history dominated by the voices of men, LYNNE WALSH encourages sisters to read the memoirs of women – and to write their own too
International Women's Day 2025 / 8 March 2025
8 March 2025
LYNNE WALSH attempts to unravel the latest advice from local authorities on tackling violence against women and girls
Features / 25 January 2025
25 January 2025
Anti-fascists from around the world will soon be travelling to Spain to commemorate the International Brigades and walk in the footsteps of the bravest of their generation, writes LYNNE WALSH
Features / 13 September 2024
13 September 2024
LYNNE WALSH reports from the recent ‘Chartism Day’ conference at Reading University, where sisters of the 19th century Chartist struggle emerged from the pages of history
Similar stories
Features / 5 March 2025
5 March 2025
As TUC Women’s Conference prepares to debate the decriminalisation of prostitution, EMMA, who exited the sex industry more than nine years ago, reflects on how her harrowing experience changed her initial view that ‘sex work is work’
Interview / 8 February 2025
8 February 2025
Ben Chacko talks to Bundestag member for the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, SEVIM DAGDELEN, about the continuing war in Ukraine, the economic crisis, controversies over immigration, the failings of Germany’s liberalised prostitution policy, and the importance of free speech
Features / 19 June 2024
19 June 2024
Is the United Nations finally recognising that the sex trade is a form of exploitation and a breach of human rights? LUBA FEIN welcomes a new report which suggests that might be the case
Report / 30 March 2024
30 March 2024
ROS SITWELL reports from a conference held in light of the closure of the Gender Identity and Development Service for children and young people, which explored what went wrong at the service and the evidence base for care