Our columnist, Rebecca Lane poses the question, what do you think about sex workers?
While it may not be at the front of everyone’s minds, at some point in your life you’ve probably come across a sex worker. Possibly through porn, possibly through an exotic dancer, possibly through prostitution, but what are your thoughts on it really?
Pictured: Rebecca Lane.
I often see, or hear, that these men and women are forced into such work but how do you know that? Many people decide for themselves what they want to do with their lives, and just because it doesn’t conform to what you class as a ‘steady job’ doesn’t mean it’s any less the job they want to do. Of course, there are unfortunately a high volume of forced sex workers, sex trafficking, and awful circumstances alike, but there are many that choose to be in that line of work because it’s what suits them.
The trouble is for the men and women who choose this as their livelihood, they don’t have laws protecting them like other workers do, many places have laws against them hurting the workers and putting them in more dangerous situations. Sex work can be undertaken safely, choosing their own clients can be very empowering.
Some countries have implemented the “Nordic Model”, including four out of five Nordic countries. It’s an approach to prostitution that looks to decriminalise prostitutes, and making buying sex a criminal offence; while this model seeks to protect sex workers, it actually harms the people who sell sex, and women have been jailed under a model that’s meant to protect them. Two women in Northern Ireland have been arrested and jailed for nine months on the charges of ‘keeping a brothel’ under a version of the “Nordic Model”, while they were just simply sharing a space for safety*. The laws that are being implemented that supposedly protect sex workers, are not, but why not?
The best way to protect sex workers is to decriminalise and regulate sex work and legalise brothels to provide safety for the men and women that choose these jobs. Guernsey is no different in terms of the views on sex work and the laws – while prostitution is legal, solicitation and brothel keeping aren’t.
We may be a small island, but that doesn’t mean that any active sex workers are any safer than they would be elsewhere. There’s no protection in place, there’s no where for them to safely offer their services, and for what reason? Who is it hurting for them to choose to do such work? The only way this can affect your life is if you purchase what they’re selling, and if you don’t, why do you have an opinion on the way they choose to live their life?
Being in a group with people who believe in equality helps you to learn and grow as a person. While I’ve long held the view that sex work IS work and should be protected, open discussions with the group led me to write this article. So, for that, I thank you.
Rebecca Lane works in the PR sector, and had keen interests in social issues, mental and psychical health, politics and music. In her spare time she's part of a local feminism group who discuss issues locally and nationally, reads fantasy genre and goes to gigs.
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