In pictures: France debates prostitution bill as protests spread outside the parliament

Wednesday 04 December 2013 15:19 GMT

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French lawmakers are debating one of Europe's toughest laws against prostitution and sex trafficking. Local movie stars have signed petitions, political parties are split, and sex workers complain the government is doing them out of a living. France is divided over a bid to crack down on prostitution.

Some 90 percent of France's estimated 20,000 to 40,000 prostitutes are foreign, mostly victims of Nigerian, Chinese and Romanian human trafficking networks.

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In pictures: France debates prostitution bill as protests spread outside the parliament