Decriminalisation increases sex workers’ safety and well-being. New Zealand decriminalised sex work in 2003 with verifiable success. Over 90% of sex workers said they had additional employment, legal, health and safety rights. One important measure of this is that prior to decriminalisation 47% of brothel workers had refused to see a client in the previous 12 months, after decriminalisation 68% of brothel workers had done this. 70% said they were more likely to report incidents of violence to the police.
For more information see our briefing Why Decriminalisation? and report Decriminalisation of Prostitution: the Evidence.
A poll conducted by GfK (February 28 – 2 March) for Professor Colin Francome, director of the Campaign for Radical Sociology, shows that over half the population of the UK is opposed to the criminalisation of prostitution. Only three in ten nationwide were in favour. In London it was only one in four. Prof. Francome […]
The European Parliament’s Committee on Gender Rights and Women’s Equality, FEMM, has approved a report that recommends criminalizing clients of sex workers as a way to “reduce prostitution and trafficking”. This recommendation will be up for a vote in the European Parliament on 27 February 2014. Sex workers are speaking out against it, and calling on […]
UK sex workers hail ruling ‘a victory for decriminalisation everywhere’. We have just heard that the Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously struck down the prostitution laws because they make it “dangerous” for prostitute women and infringe their constitutional rights. The ruling applies to both indoor and outdoor prostitution. The Court is giving the government one year to […]
We, the undersigned demand that prostitution – the consenting exchange of sexual services for money – is decriminalised. As LGBTQ sex workers and allies we are asking for support for the decriminalisation of prostitution – consenting sex where payment is involved. “The freedom of two people to have sexual contact with each other has historically […]
Sex workers to campaign against new legal movesStephen NaysmithSEX workers and campaigners are to stage a series of events to protest against criminalisation of their work and warn against driving prostitution underground.Women and men involved in prostitution should be given human rights and protections at work, according to the organisers of a Sex Worker Open […]
New Zealand took a big step in 2003 by decriminalising prostitution. The English Collective of Prostitutes is fighting for the same status in England. Benjamin Serra The Prisma Poverty and the recent economic crisis forces hundreds of women to work in the sex industry in order to earn money to support their families, to save […]
International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers event WHEN: Monday, 17 December 2012, 7pm WHERE: Venue: Crossroads Women’s Centre, 25 Wolsey Mews, Kentish Town, London, NW5 2DX FILM: Decriminalisation of Sex Work in New Zealand New Zealand decriminalised prostitution in 2003. This 30 minute film documents how the law was won and its impact as told by […]
Serkan OzturkA convention held in Sydney earlier this month looking at the gains made in NSW since decriminalisation of sex work was introduced in 1995 saw unanimous agreement by delegates present that the NSW Government is wrong to consider re-introducing a stringent licensing system with strict penalties to govern the sex work industry.Hosted by the […]
By SHANE CROUCHERIf politicians and the public can put aside long-held prejudices, then they may be able to solve some of the tough economic questions Britain has to answer by unleashing the financial power of two untapped markets: drugs and prostitution.These multi-billion pound industries lurk in the shadows of Britain, operating at every moment of […]