Anna Kontula has disclosed that she worked as an escort from the age of 16 prior to entering politics.
Finnish Member of Parliament Anna Kontula has revealed her extensive past as a sex worker, predating her political career. In an interview with Helsingin Sanomat (HS) published on Saturday, Kontula expressed no shame regarding her experiences, noting their significant role in shaping her political path.
Kontula, aged 48, is currently in her fourth term in the Finnish Parliament. Although a long-standing advocate for sex workers’ rights, she had previously refrained from publicly discussing her personal involvement.
Kontula informed HS that her escort work began at 16 while residing in a student dormitory, driven by a combination of financial necessity and curiosity. “If I wanted to somehow make ends meet… it was a pretty rational solution,” she elucidated.
Her involvement in the industry spanned nearly two decades intermittently, during which she emerged as a vocal advocate. In 2002, she co-founded SALLI, a union for sex workers, and authored articles that questioned prevailing public views of the sector. Finland’s 2006 legislation, which partially restricted the purchase of sex, was viewed by her as a partial triumph, given its provisions for protecting trafficking victims.
Kontula has been a Member of Parliament since 2011, persistently championing sex workers’ rights. Asked about her decision to speak out at this time, she explained to HS: “Talking about the topic now can bring benefits to social debate [on sex work] and its direction.” She has also declared her intention not to seek re-election and is pursuing training as a social worker, a role that will involve providing safe-sex education.
Kontula’s public disclosure has already generated criticism. In an opinion piece featured in HS on Sunday, legal psychologist Pia Puolakka deemed it “worrying” that the MP characterized sex work as “just work among others,” asserting that “normalizing sex work does not make society freer or fairer.”
“The task of a civilized state is to guarantee conditions in which no one has to sell their intimacy,” Puolakka penned.
Prostitution is permissible in Finland, subject to certain exceptions. Despite Kontula being a minor when she commenced sex work, Finnish law did not forbid it at that juncture. Nevertheless, the 2006 legislation partially criminalized the purchase of sex, rendering it unlawful to procure sex from minors, victims of trafficking, or individuals involved in procurement.