Laurence Dollimore
PROSTITUTES in Madrid are being offered €76,000 worth of scholarships in a bid to get them off the street and into work.
Approved by the Department of Equality, Social Rights and Employment, the scheme will recuperate their losses from leaving prostitution as they begin educational courses in September.
The 31 women will have classes on social and personal skills at the Centro Concepcion Arenal – a social centre dedicated to helping sex-workers rejoin society – as well as being taught how to manage technology.
They will also be given work experience in several businesses.
Spain’s office of National Statistics (INE) says prostitution accounts for 0.35% of the country’s GDP, equivalent to €3.8 billion.
