Abpfiff - Deutscher Frauenrat

To Michael Ballack
Berlin, September 2, 2005
Trafficking in Human Beings and Forced Prostitution during the Football World Cup 2006
Dear Mr. Ballack,
You might be surprised to receive a letter from the National Council of German Women’s Organizations in
advance of the World Cup 200 . But many women are also looking forward to the matches and are following
the preparation of the national team with its ups and occasional downs. Next year many of us – together with
friends, sons, fathers, partners, mothers and daughters – will follow the football games. We will cross our fingers
for you and hope that you enjoy your matches and, of course, have success.
Unfortunately, for many other women this important event will not be a time of joy and happiness. There have
been reports in the newspapers that the presence of prostitutes will be intensified during the World Cup. Most of
these women will not have come of their own free will. Deceived with false promises, they are brought to
Germany and will be forced to prostitute themselves. These women are as old as you, dear Mr. Ballack, and still
full of hope concerning their future. But most of them will be disappointed and embittered to learn that their
trust has been misused. They will be abused in order to satisfy the “needs” of men who planned to watch football
matches.
Dear Mr. Ballack, for many men in our country you and the other members of the National Team are an
important role model – and often your word counts more than that of our politicians, as you well know.
Thankfully some members of the National Team and certain football teams use their image and popularity in
a positive way to help reduce violence between fans and hooliganism, to help reduce drug abuse and to prevent
hostility to foreigners and racism.
We ask your team and you urgently: Please speak out against the abuse of women. Please make clear that you
don’t want football and the abuse of women’s rights and their dignity to be connected in any way. Please state
that “real men” are against trafficking in human beings and forced prostitution. Invite your colleagues from
other National Teams to join you in this.
The Deutscher Frauenring, one of the oldest women’s federations in Germany, asked the German Football
Federation to start a campaign with the motto: “Men against trafficking in human beings and forced
prostitution!” and to use large banners, coffee cups, caps, etc. to demonstrate worldwide resistance and
disapproval of these negative accompanying features of your sport.
We ask you please to exert pressure on the management board of the DFB to carry out a campaign of this
nature and to offer your help.
This is a small step for you but it could contribute to a big step towards the achievement of human dignity for
both men and women.
We look forward to your answer and assure you of our support wherever possible.
Sincerely,
Brunhilde Raiser
President
Letter to Michael Ballack, Captain
of the German National Team