Prostitution, Sexual Exploitation and People Experiencing Homelessness

9 October | 10:00 a.m. | Room EBI-100

As part of the open lecture of the seminar “Exploitation of Prostitution: A Fundamental Rights Issue”, within the Master’s Degree in Criminal Law, this session will promote a discussion on the material, institutional and procedural barriers that hinder access to justice for people experiencing homelessness in Brazil, addressing their historical invisibility as rights-holders and their lack of effective participation in decisions affecting their lives.

Drawing on a reflection on the democratic pact and on legal proceedings as a means of securing and enforcing rights, the lecture will address the need to rethink procedural categories in the light of human dignity, substantive equality and social participation, considering the role of the justice system, particularly the judiciary, as well as that of civil society.

The discussion will establish a dialogue with the experiences of people involved in prostitution and affected by sexual exploitation, highlighting how stigma, inequalities and forms of vulnerability can constrain the recognition, protection and effective enjoyment of rights. It will therefore advocate for the expansion of mechanisms for listening, representation and intervention in structural litigation, as a condition for building a more inclusive and democratic justice system.

This event aims to foster an academic dialogue between Brazilian and Portuguese researchers, members of the Women and Democracy Research Group (CNPq), strengthening scientific cooperation and the exchange of experiences in the fields of human rights, democracy, access to justice, and the protection of groups in situations of vulnerability.

Organiser/Moderator: Sandra Tavares (FD – UCP)
Speaker: Lara Diógenes
Commentator: Denise Andrade (Unichristus)

Open to the academic community and the general public.