A little while ago there was an awesome report done on the New South Wales Sex Industry. It was called the Lash report and it was for the Minister of health (which can be found here-> http://nothing-about-us-without-us.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/LASH_NSW-Sex-Industry-Report_2012.pdf ) .. It was a good report and it was done by a University who studied sex workers and by golly, they did an awesome job!
After the report came out, it made the papers!
Media was saying great things about the NSW sex industry, saying as a sex worker, we have it so good and we are healthy and pretty balanced.. We don’t have any more sti’s or std’s than the general population.. It was a huge deal and it was a great example of how decriminlisation is working in this particular state!
YAY NEW SOUTH WALES!!!!
I got kinda excited when I first read it… it made me personally feel that our industry had been validated, like we could maybe be taken seriously… professional people had had an inside peak into our world and it wasn’t as nasty or seedy or sordid as perhaps they once had thought!
On an international level, I could see how the NSW sex industry could well be a great example to other countries.. Or on a smaller scale, a great example to the other states in Australia, as not all states are as liberal with their thinking and laws yet!
Then we come to the present day……
A new “Research Report” has been unveiled… one regarding “The role of Local Government as Regulator of Brothels” (you can read the report here, the bit that concerns sex workers is in section 10: Public health and safety http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/study/regulationbenchmarking/localgov/report )
This report.. Well… I don’t know where they find their information but there are a few things that pissed me off personally and in general could be detrimental to the Sex Industry Australia wide! The claims that they have made are ridiculous!
Id like to go over a few things that really got me fired up!
* They talk about wanting “illegal brothels” to be dealt with by Police instead of Local Government.
Do other business get dealt with by Police? If I am a hairdresser and I don’t have a registered business and I am operating “illegally” is it council or cops that deal with that? Whats that? Council? Hmmm interesting! So whilst brothels in some states are legal, why would you have Police acting in those areas? Is it because *shock horror* sex workers are criminals? Well… no, that cant be right, because in NSW, VIC & QLD it is legal.. So um… I don’t understand…. Until the industry itself is illegal, then I believe we should be treated like any other small business that has not made the right moves to conduct business in the way set out by the state they are in.
*They say there is “corruption, health and safety risks for Local Government Officers.
Er and the Police force is never corrupt is it!! Of course not!! Pffft.
* ”A lack of strict enforcement & monitoring of unregistered brothels discourages legitimate brothels being established.”
Now this one confuses me. If I was going to open a brothel, I know that some people do so illegally BUT if I do it legally then I am able to promote my business in ways that the “illegal brothels” cant. I can only see that by going legit is more beneficial to myself and the people that work in it. Any fool with half a brain can see that the “illegal brothels” do it tough! They cant advertise like I would, they live in fear on a daily basis of an official someone coming in and closing them down… any clued on person would know, with any small business there are headaches and that headache is one that not many would want!
*They think that “illegal brothels” provide services that are illegal and in turn is an unfair advantage to legal brothels AND “poor health outcomes for sex workers and their customers’
WTF? I have worked in “illegal” establishments before.. Let me tell you, the respect the workers have for their own body does not differ whether you are in an “illegal” or “legal” brothel. Regardless of legal or not, sex workers use condoms! Are they implying that because we work in a place that’s not regulated that all of a sudden we forget about our own health and decide “sti’s, oh yes please I want them” Get lost! Using condoms for safe sex or sex acts has NOTHING to do with the establishment you are in! Its all about personal choice!
Unfair advantage? Pfft .. Are they trying to tell me that “illegal service” are not ever available in “legal brothels”??? That has to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! There is a market for safe services and there is a market for what the government call “illegal” services and this is no way defined by the legalities of the premises. Two words - PERSONAL CHOICE!
Its not like the “illegal brothels” can advertise “Bare back blow jobs! Bare back sex!” So where is the advantage????
OK rant over
The point to all this, they want police to be the ones to go in and stop illegal businesses in the sex industry. If sex work is seen as real work by the Government, then why would you have the cops involved in this one industry. Every other industry is looked after by the Local Government..
Why are they discriminating against the sex industry?
How long will it be before they actually start treating us like the other industries?
“Oh yes we see sex work as work.. But we still are going to treat you different cos we still think that the only way to handle you is via the Police”
This latest report mentions the state Victoria, who does have coppers as their main avenue of targeting “illegal brothels” and such. This is the example they are using and I guess trying to impose Australia wide…
This brings me back to the original report I mentioned, the LASH report… why the hell would Australia want to follow VIC lead when NSW has proven that the way they do things, is not only working for the sex workers but Government alike?
If the police are going to be the watchers of the adult industry, doesn’t that mean that if sex workers are caught doing something that is “illegal” it would then go on your police record? Doesn’t that then mean that sex workers who have sex industry related charges etc they will no longer be able to get into some countries ie: America. The travelling thing to me is a big deal. I have many plans that involve international travel..
Does the hairdresser who is working illegally get a police record? Do they then get limited as to where they can travel?
Sex workers have more to lose than anyone!!
Why the hell are we focusing on a state that makes their workers licenced and discriminated against when we have PROOF that NSW is doing great things? Why are we even bothering to publish and promote things like the LASH report when all it does it get ignored by those with the powers to implement change??
Why are we going backwards and turning sex workers and the industry into a criminal act?
Oh yeah sure, on paper, its all legit, but when you start having police enforcers, all that says to me is “we are saying one thing but doing another”
To that I say - Go F yourself because there's not a sex worker in Australia who is going to do it for you!
P.s Shout out to Elena Jeffreys for an awesome quote :p
I suspect what you're alluding to has something to do with the predilection for the sex industry to be infiltrated & undermined by organised crime. So-called 'illegal brothels' (I HATE that word) not supervised by local authority, be it council or State Health, are seen as being open to being preyed upon by criminal elements. I'm not saying that's what happens categorically and in every single case, but the perception is clearly there.
ReplyDeleteThe solution is societal. When society finally accepts and recognises that we all have sex and not every male (or female) has access to a real life sexual counterpart when they have the desire to enjoy, but are willing to buy some company, then maybe people like yourself will be free to engage in independent contracts without the need of oversight by the establishment.
I have no issues with council looking after legal and "illegal" brothels.. at the end of the day, we want to be seen just like any other business... and all other businesses and zonings etc, council does! My point is, why out of all the industries in Aus, is the sex industry needed to be governed by police? makes no sense. Its discrimination!
ReplyDeletemaybe i misread your comment lol.. its been a long day :p
but thanks for having a read xxx mwah xxx
Well argued Holly... Police should investigate illegal activities. Owning and running a small business is not illegal, your employees are also not illegal.
ReplyDeleteLocal councils here in Vic threw up their hands and said enough, we give up, we can not control the "massage parlor" rub and tug scene! Mostly because their own council investigators were taking bribes!
Local Council investigators on the take? Police on the take? Do they think we are silly enough to believe that the local government is untouchable? hmmmm
Az