People are abducted, sold, used like commodities and thrown away – what remains are beings who have to find themselves again.
On Thursday, 10 April 2025, the Expedithalle in Vienna opened its doors for an impressive evening dedicated to a topic that is often taboo but highly relevant to society: the purchase of sex and its far-reaching consequences. Numerous interested guests gathered around the film screening of ‘Buying Her’ to find out more about the reality behind prostitution – beyond common myths and romanticised narratives. Chairwoman Andrea Staudenherz fought for several months to be able to show this film in Austria and in the context of screenings, as it reveals new perspectives on this business but has not yet been released.
Buying Her – gets under your skin
The documentary film ‘Buying Her’ provides a rare and blunt insight into the lives of sex buyers and people in prostitution. With unsparing candour, those affected talk about their journey – from their first formative experiences with pornography to the moments of reflection that ultimately led them to question a system of exploitation. The multi-layered perspectives illuminated by the film make it clear that prostitution is not a neutral business, but an expression of deep social power relations. An attempt to show the entanglements of power relations can be read in our current blog article ‘A way of looking at it: exploitation – explained intersectionally’. We at Hope for the Future also aim to let those affected speak! You can also read short stories from those affected on our website. In a nutshell: exploitation has many facets. The fates of those affected are different and yet ‘somehow’ the same – it robs them of their dignity and this must be regained!
And what does the panel think?
The film screening was followed by a panel discussion in which experts from various fields – from victims’ representatives to social workers and victims of human trafficking – categorised what was shown, explored it in greater depth and placed it in a wider context. From a psychotherapeutic perspective, it can certainly be argued that the documentary Buying Her impressively shows how profoundly the experiences of exploitation and degradation can affect the mental health of people in prostitution. The protagonists in the film report early traumatising experiences – such as being confronted with violent pornography or emotional neglect – which often prepare the ground for later dependency relationships and self-esteem issues.
The processes of reflection described in the film are particularly significant from a therapeutic perspective: they mark the first steps towards self-empowerment and regaining a coherent self-image. Dealing with one’s own history and the structural nature of exploitation can initiate a healing process – towards a life with more autonomy, dignity and inner security. It is crucial that those affected are heard and taken seriously. To make their voices visible! We at Hope for the Future try to help with this.
The early or excessive consumption of pornography can lead to a distorted perception and idea of sexuality. From a psychotherapeutic perspective, young people in particular often internalise an image of sexuality through pornographic content that is based on dominance, pressure to perform, objectification and a mixture of power and hierarchy – far removed from intimacy, mutual respect and emotional connection. In the long term, such internalised ideas can impair relationship skills, reduce empathy and impede the ability to deal with closeness and sexuality in a healthy, consensual way. Sexuality is not experienced as a human encounter, but as a consumable service – with problematic consequences both for one’s own self-image and in dealing with others.
As already mentioned, the panel was very diverse: there was also a person on the panel who had been a victim of human trafficking herself for many years. She spoke with harrowing candour about her experiences – about how she was raped several times and finally even stabbed. Her story gets under your skin because it is more than an individual fate: it is representative of the violence that many people experience in prostitution. These experiences leave deep psychological wounds – fear, powerlessness, shame and the feeling of no longer having any value. When she raises her voice today, she does so not only for herself, but for all those who have not yet found words. What is sold as a “service” is often a life in a permanent state of emergency, characterised by violence, exploitation and the fight for survival.
The evening ended with an open exchange over drinks and snacks – an opportunity to reflect on what had been heard and engage in dialogue.
On this evening, ‘Buying Her’ not only informed, but also touched, shook up and inspired reflection – an important contribution to the social debate on sex work, prostitution, consumption and human dignity.
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