ECPR

Install the app

Install this application on your home screen for quick and easy access when you’re on the go.

Just tap Share then “Add to Home Screen”

ECPR

Install the app

Install this application on your home screen for quick and easy access when you’re on the go.

Just tap Share then “Add to Home Screen”

Mobilizing Shame and Disgust. Abolitionist Frames in Anti-Sex-Work Movements in Austria

Gender
Policy Analysis
Social Movements
Feminism

Abstract

Austria’s prostitution regime has been characterized since the mid-1970ies as a pragmatic regulationist regime. Since the 1980ies feminist organizations have been fighting for the recognition of sex workers rights with moderate success. However, since a couple of years an abolitionist (feminist) movement emerged in the country agitating with the Slogan “Stop the Purchase of Sex!” This internationally well-connected (e.g. with EWL) but nevertheless small movement aims at establishing the “Swedish Model” of punishing clients of sex workers. The discourse of the movement – basically showing that prostitution is violence against women – is characterized by highly emotionalized images, metaphors and frames. Some of these frames blame clients of prostitutes and create a disgusting male ‘Other’, others personalize a violent patriarchal structure through affective ascriptions and again other frames construct female victims. The affective perspective on anti-sex-work mobilization aims at showing that and how an illusion of love versus disgust is created in a heterosexual patriarchal context running the risk of reproducing these contexts. The paper is based on a critical frame analysis of documents (websites) of Austrian (and international) abolitionist organisations.