Free sex for Copenhagen summit delegates

A municipal postcard campaign against prostitution during the UN climate conference in Copenhagen has so incensed local prostitutes that they are now offering free sex to any delegate who turns up with one of the postcards.

The Copenhagen city hall triggered the hostilities in early December by sending out postcards to 160 hotels urging climate delegates to avoid indulging in the city's legal sex industry. "Be Sustainable, Don't Buy Sex" warns the campaign as up to 30,000 accredited delegates converge on Copenhagen.

Sex workers said that the city council should not use the climate summit to meddle in their business and retaliated with their own "Get Free Sex" campaign.

Copenhagen sex workers protesting against discrimination

An anti-prostitution warning from the Copenhagen city hall

"Only four participants took it up"

Susanne Møller is a sex worker in Copenhagen and the spokesperson for the Sex Workers Interest Group (SIO) that launched the “free sex” initiative.

The offer is for real, it's not a joke. But only four participants took it up so far. They have to email a copy of their COP badge as well as a picture ID to get a voucher for free sex, and I guess most would prefer to remain anonymous. It's not poor people coming here, delegates would probably prefer to pay for it and not reveal their identity.

I work from my own place but most sex workers are doing it in "clinics" (the Danish way of referring to brothels). Most girls are doing it only part-time; they rent a room at a "clinic" for an average of 1,000 - 1,500 krone per day (135 to 200 euros) and sell a 30 minute-"normal" sex session for 700 - 1,000 krone (95 to 135 euros).

Prostitution is completely legal in Denmark, but it's regarded as a social problem and you can't support social problems. If I want to join a union or insure my working place, it's impossible! We pay taxes but we are still discriminated against.

The city hall has launched this campaign to portray itself as taking care of its citizens, taking care of Copenhagen's image. They also claimed that a mini climate summit last May led to a prostitution boom, but we have seen no evidence of that"