Sandra Norak, our special guest for the Key Topic Day: „For a World Free of Prostitution” is being welcomed in Tübingen by festival director Irene Jung already early in the morning. Sandra has arrived for the school screening at the Museum Cinema of a documentary “Loverboy”. She is accompanied by a camera crew that is shooting a documentary about the “Loverboy” method.

Sandra is able to say a lot about this method, as she has been a victim of it and kept in prostitution for six years. Now she is studying law and engages in educational work to combat this infamous method by which pimps lure school girls into prostitution.

She gives a vivid account of the grave and traumatizing effects which are the result of years in prostitution for young women like her. She also insists on the fact that she has not been an isolated case. She explains how these pimps, after making the girls fall in love with them - which means leading them into emotional dependency - by manipulation and force trap the girls into doing things they would normally never do, such as selling their bodies. Sandra explains clearly:” If your boyfriend wants to convince you to do things that you do not want to, or things you are afraid of or feel disgusted of, then this in not love!”

She answers the questions of the young audience about the opportunities of women who want to get out of prostitution, naming organisations such as “Sisters e.V.” which supports them on their difficult path. She also underlines that in her eyes, the “Nordic Model” with the legal ban on buying sex is the only realistic way to eradicate the present market of mostly female slavery, which is accompanied by horrendous violence against women and girls. This method of the “Nordic Model” would tend to eliminate more and more the demand on this market.
The students, among them also many boys, listen captivated and impressed. They ask many questions. After an elaborated discussion, the young audience pay their respect to this courageous young woman and give her a huge applause.

The day after her reading, Necla Kelek was part of an audience conversation with students from a local high school which saw the film „Nur eine Frau – A Regular Woman“ at the Museum Cinema. The film is based on a true story and gives a voice to the young German-Turkish woman Hatun Aynur Sürücü, who was victim of an “honor” killing.

Coming from the same culture, Necla can answer many questions from students and teachers. Especially teachers were interesting in discussing how to deal with discrepancies between other cultures and girl’s fundamental rights in their everyday school life.

The Geschwister-Scholl-school invited Chelo Alvarez Stehle to a discussion following a screening of her documentay „Sands of Silence – Waves of Courage“.

The teacher, Isabelle Baumann, who has welcomed many Women’s Worlds guests at her school, welcomes Chelo and the festival team.

Many questions are addressed to Chelo, who answers them in a talkative manner. Both Chelo and the students manage to draw parallels to the current situation in Germany.

Chelo insists: abuse is not limited to certain cultures or social classes, it also exists in spaces that are widely perceived as safe.

There is much applause for Chelo after the discussion and a photo with her and the students was taken.