About trafficking and prostitution in Israel

The temporary Law Prohibiting the Consumption of Prostitution was passed on December 31, 2018 and took effect on July 10, 2020, with active enforcement beginning in January 2021. The law defines consumption of prostitution as a civil offense for which violators can be fined 2,000 NIS for a first offense, and 4,000 for subsequent offenses. Repeat offenders can be indicted, and if found guilty, can be fined as much as 70,000. In addition, a clause strengthening the law states that anyone found in a brothel is considered a consumer, regardless of his claims that he was not using the services of a prostituted woman.

The law also offers convicted violators the option, instead of paying a fine, of attending a series of educational sessions given by the parole services, whose objective is to change the offender’s thinking about consumption of prostitution.

The law also obligates the Ministries of Social Services and Homeland Security to report annually to the Knesset Constitution Committee regarding the Law’s implementation and its effect on the rehabilitation of and assistance given to prostituted populations.

To assess the effectiveness of the law, a study was conducted by the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, which demonstrated that the law is effective in reducing the demand for prostitution and in shaping public attitudes toward the phenomenon.

As the original five-year term of the law neared its expiration, TFHT fought vigorously to enshrine it as permanent legislation, aiming to establish a clear moral standard in the State of Israel—that the consumption of prostitution is a harmful and unacceptable act.

We were on the verge of passing historic legislation, with 53 MKs from 12 diverse parties — left, right, center, religious and secular — supporting the Law. However one man, Simcha Rothman, Chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, blocked the Law from passing permanently in July 2025. The result was a five-year extension of the temporary order.

We will not stop here. We are committed to advancing permanent criminal legislation that will reflect the values of justice, dignity, and equality.

The Law’s Effects

1. In recent years, more countries have passed laws placing the onus on consumers of prostitution, among them Canada and Norway (2009), Northern Ireland (2015), France (2016), and Ireland (2017). These countries subsequently have seen a decrease in demand, leading to a decrease in prostitution; a decrease in human trafficking; and a significant increase in public awareness of these phenomena. Countries with such laws, known as “client criminalization”, are seeing a decrease in the consumption of prostitution and human trafficking. Sweden reports a significant decrease in street prostitution, a decrease in the number of consumers, and in human trafficking. Norway reports a decrease in consumption, particularly among young people.
2. Until the recent law was passed in Israel, only those soliciting, pimps, and those engaged in human trafficking were considered offenders. Now the onus has been placed on all consumers, who can no longer deny responsibility and their participation in the exploitation of vulnerable human beings.
3. The evaluation study by the Myers-Joint-Brookdale Institute proves that the Prohibition of Prostitution Consumption Law is an effective tool for reducing the demand for prostitution and for profound social change. The study found that there was an actual decrease in the rate of prostitution consumption, with many men who had previously consumed it stopping or significantly reducing the volume. Among young people, the law was perceived as a significant deterrent, affecting their attitudes and willingness to enter the world of sexual consumerism. In addition, there was a decrease of approximately 20% in the demand for prostitution according to an analysis of Google Trends search trends, which indicates a real change in behavioral patterns. At the same time, there was an increase in the perception of prostitution consumption as a negative, harmful, and immoral act, especially among young people and women, and the law was perceived as a significant tool in assimilating the values of dignity, equality, and human rights.