Photo : Rosen Hicher
Now You Know: A Roundtable Discussion with Rosen Hicher
To conclude the decade since the vote on the law aimed at strengthening the fight against the prostitution system, Rosen Hicher will reflect on her commitment as a survivor of prostitution in favor of this law and on her awareness-raising work, particularly with men arrested for purchasing sexual acts. Joined by Me Lorraine Questiaux, Frédéric Boisard (Fondation Scelles), and Ambre (La Vie en Rouge).
Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand (BMD) (Paris 13th)
About
Since April 13, 2016, France has adopted the abolitionist legal model from the Nordic countries, which officially recognizes prostitution as a form of violence, shifts criminal liability to those responsible—namely pimps and clients—and offers mechanisms for those who wish to leave it.
The adoption of this law is the culmination of a long-standing feminist struggle. At the heart of this mobilization, women who survived prostitution contributed their energy, intelligence, and courage to expose the mechanisms of the prostitution system and spare others the traumatic consequences they must live with.
Rosen Hicher is one of the most iconic figures of this struggle. After 22 years in prostitution, she initially campaigned for the recognition of "sex work," believing it would improve the living conditions of people in prostitution. Gradually, however, she became aware of the social mechanisms and constraints that led her into prostitution, the violence she suffered throughout her journey, and the physical and psychological scars she carries.
She committed herself heart and soul to organizations like Mouvement du Nid or the Fondation Scelles, testifying tirelessly to the media and institutions, advocating for an abolitionist law.
In 2014, she set herself a challenge: she decided to embark on a march of approximately 750km to travel through the various cities where she had been prostituted, from the last one (Saintes, Charente-Maritime) to the first, Paris. Her goal was to meet mayors and attract media attention. She also launched a petition demanding "the urgent implementation of a support system for completely destitute women, forced to sell themselves to survive," which gathered more than 30,000 signatures.
Since the adoption of the abolitionist law in 2016, she has continued her fight by intervening in the awareness workshops provided for men sanctioned for purchasing sexual acts. From these confrontations with "clients" during the workshops, she drew a book titled "Maintenant vous savez" (Editions Libre, 2026), in which she responds to the excuses and justifications they usually hide behind.
This roundtable will look back at Rosen Hicher's entire activist journey, in the company of feminist lawyer Lorraine Questiaux, Frédéric Boisard, facilitator of awareness workshops at the Fondation Scelles and co-author of the book "Maintenant vous savez," and Ambre, an artist and young survivor of prostitution, who can be heard on the podcast "La Vie en Rouge."
Our take on this event
Some life stories leave an indelible mark on our history and reshape the way we perceive systemic violence. Join this powerful discussion to hear directly from an activist whose journey from victimhood to public advocacy has fundamentally shifted the conversation on human exploitation. It is a rare chance to engage with a voice that challenges our preconceptions and forces us to look reality straight in the eye.
