Decriminalising Sex Work

Comments

By Sindyuk

Mon 9 Nov, 2009 - 16:30

I am one of Many london escorts The bills that are being read in parliment here are stupid and not logical I hope when there is a change of government here nezt year that we will have better luck

By Janine Moolman

Sat 20 Jun, 2009 - 19:38

Looking forward to hear about your discussions.

By Innocent

Fri 22 May, 2009 - 10:22

Rath says:

This is an old debate and keeps cropping up. Some section of anti trafficking lobby have supported criminalisation of sex worker as a solution to trafficking of women. Assumption being that most women who are trafficked land up in sex work. Studies from many parts of the world show that most trafficked women though sexually exploited do not land up in sex work. Most of them land up as bonded labour in various sectors. Forced to work for long hours and devoid of any rights like any other migrant worker. Often sexually exploited as they have very little way of escaping or legal recourse.

From an HIV and AIDS perspective, successful interventions with sex workers (for example in India, Thailand and Bangladesh) have shown that sex workers who have rights not only protect themselves and their clients from HIV, but are the best anti trafficking agents as well. So it is in the interest of the anti trafficking lobby to align with collectives of sex workers in fight against trafficking of women and girls. Also the anti trafficking groups that target sex workers often forget that sex work is not only about females sex workers, it is about male sex workers, transgender sex workers and their clients as well.

I think we need to support such efforts in collectivising and empowering sex workers who can then fight for their own rights.

By Innocent

Fri 22 May, 2009 - 10:18

Jack says:

From an HIV and AIDS perspective, I think the recognition of commercial sex work would have some benefits if planned properly. I have in mind regular medical check ups of commercial sex workers which would not only improve the health standards in the industry by timely diagnosing and treating STIs but also have the potential of early HIV diagnosis and treatment. It is a fact that HIV prevalence in CSWs is generally higher than in the rest of the population. I would therefore welcome any efforts that would improve the health seeking behaviour of CSWs. This would also have a trickle down effect to the sexual health of their clients and by extension the general population (by the way are their clients also CSWs or commercial sex clients CSCs?) this could be debate for another day). It may be futile to continue to criminalise CSW without criminalising the need for sex services from CSWs. It takes two or is it more to tango, huh?

By Innocent

Fri 22 May, 2009 - 10:16

Benny says:

An interesting discusion - the rights of sex workrs have long been trampled upon - not least through the moral positioning of internatinal and US aid for HIV that has greatly deepened stigmatisation of Sex workers (thank God Obama is in and will hopefully modify USAID positioning on sex workers - whom they currently refer to as 'prostitutes'). This discourse is important both from a 'prevention' point as well as an 'access to services' stand point:

a) Having worked directly with Sex workers, the higher prevelance of HIV within their ranks is usually the result of the bahaviour of their clients (several countries have recorded the highest consistent use of condoms among sex workers). Often, they are pressurised to adopt unsafe practices by clients (who lure them with financial incentives) who then infect them. Supporting sex workers to unite and demand use of condoms is one strategy but also requires work with other groups such as brothel owners (to help enforce condom use and eject sex workers who engage in unsafe practices). So, for me, the starting point is clients of Sex Workers rather than criminalising and scape-goating sex workers.

b) As I have argued with the proposals of 'service provider testing' (whatever that means), this is not likely to succeed unless it is backed by the availability and affordability of HIV-related services. If I were a sex worker, what incentive is there for me to test if testing potentially deprives me of my livelihood and leaves me unable to afford medicines or a new livelihood. The link between poverty and HIV is a real dilemma that poor people face evey day. Health-seeking behaviour is a luxury in those circumstances. Our proposals must take this into account or they will fail. Promoting access to free (or at least affordable) services as a key strategy for promoting health-seeking behaviour. These must also be married to strong alternative livelihoods strategies - as sex workers need alternatives if, having found out their HIV status, we expect that they will act differently.

Friday, May 22, 2009 - 10:10

I have read SWEAT's open letter to Premier Nomvula Mokonyane. It is a powerful statement and it sets out the lobby in very rationale terms without being overly sentimental about it. I have already started a discussion with some of my colleagues and some interesting views are coming out which I would like to share in this space. The views DO NOT represent the position or views of my employer or the employers of any of my colleagues and these are not mentioned here for professional reasons.