Ukrainian women’s rights group topless protest against sex industry

Liz Draper
WVoN co-editor

Ukrainian women’s rights group Femen staged a topless protest against the upcoming Euro 2012 football tournament earlier this week.

Posing as a tourist, activist Inna Shevchenko stripped to the waist and grabbed the tournament trophy in the south eastern town of Dripropetrovsk, before being restrained by police. She was arrested along with another topless protester.

In preparation for the tournament, which begins next month, the trophy is being taken on a tour of the host countries – Ukraine and Poland.

Femen staged a similar protest last month when the trophy was on display in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. A protester, also posing as a tourist, pulled down her top to reveal the slogan “Fuck Euro 2012”.

Femen are protesting against the prevalence of prostitution and sex-trafficking in Eastern Europe, and claim that Euro 2012 will cause the sex industry to grow.

According to activist Sasha Shevchenko: “Euro 2012 will not help Ukraine develop. The only thing that will develop is the sex industry here. Euro 2012 will help make Ukraine one big brothel.”

Sex trafficking is a serious problem in Ukraine. According to some estimates, up to 420,000 women have been trafficked out of the country in the last few years.

Femen are planning further protests once Euro 2012 begins on June 8.