Sex Worker
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2/28/2013
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Table of Contents
Pages
1. Personal Introduction 2
- 3
2. Prostitution as a Positive to the Sex
Worker and Community 3 - 4
3. The Issue of Choice
4 -
5
4. Prostitution and Sex Trafficking Can
be Separated 5 -
6
5. HIV/AIDS, STI’s and Prostitution
Legislation 7 - 10
6. Analysis of the Swedish Model 10 - 13
7. Religious and Moralising
Organisations 13
8. The Sex Purchase Act 13
- 15
9. Conclusion 15
- 16
10. Resources and Information 17
Personal Introduction
I am a Sex Worker and have been involved
in this occupation for approximately 4 years.
I started part-time in order to supplement my regular wage and soon
discovered that I enjoyed the work and that I would be in a better position to
pay off debts incurred through further education and maintain my financial
responsibilities better by moving to full-time.
I am keen to improve my financial
status and as such I do declare my taxes, so that I can get back into the black
and pay off my debts in full. I did have
the option to continue in my previous work, but this would have meant moving
away completely and my son was studying for his GCSE’s at the time, so for me
it made sense to stay where we were and for me to continue with Sex Work.
While I am working, I am also
furthering my own education, to broaden my choices at a later date. Where I am enjoying my work now, I can see
that I will not always want to remain in this career and am making provision for
my future, with the money earned.
As a Sex Worker who works
independently I set my own boundaries and work well within them. I vet all my clients on the phone and if they
sound abusive or misogynistic I refuse the booking. I am also at liberty to terminate a booking
at any point during the time paid for, if I am not entirely happy. I have created a website that reflects my
personality and encourages clients that suit me best. I largely enjoy the company of intelligent,
polite and respectful men who are looking for good company.
With further regard to my health
and well-being. I attend a GUM clinic
once every three months, where I have been honest and up front and told them of
my occupation. They give me all the
tests available and I have been immunised against the Hep B virus. If at any point I have any concerns with my
health, I am at liberty to attend the GUM clinic at short notice, with their
blessing and assistance. This
information is anonymous and not held on record, which is reassuring. To date I have never had an STI and I believe
this is because I am careful about how I work and precautions taken. I have a variety of condoms at my disposal,
shower, lubricants etc. I would never entertain
bareback sex and believe regulation would help to further reduce STI’s
generally within Sex Work, as up to date certificates would be a transparent
way of making sure Sex Workers are clean and safe.
I have been working around the UK and Ireland touring for the last two years. Currently I work alone, although I feel there are many advantages to working in pairs, as this again would reduce the possibility of any abuse or violence, especially for the younger girls, who are still picking up life and social skills. I currently work from apartments and hotels and work discretely, so that other residents or guests are not aware of what I am doing. I believe discretion is important and would continue to be whatever the legislation. I personally would not choose to work for an Agency, Brothel or be a Street Walker, but if ran correctly I’m sure they could be good avenues to take, as long as it is their choice, then it should not matter where you work.
Prostitution as a
Positive to the Sex Worker and Community
Like most jobs there are
negatives to Sex Work, but the majority of Sex Workers do choose to be in the
occupation. It is a relatively easy job
to start up in, with no training needed, although if you want to do well, you
do need to be good with people and have a reasonable skill base. You work within your own boundaries and offer
what you are comfortable with. No one
tells you how much to charge or how to run your own business, so it is up to
you as the Worker to do your homework and decide what you are willing to offer.
The wonderful thing about this line of work is variety. We all work differently, even though essentially we offer the same thing. For many of us there is a huge sense of community and we look out for each other to make sure that there is someone covering our back and if we do get into trouble, then there is someone to call and get help. We also share information via the internet, so that we know who the bad men are and can avoid them. This is an invaluable part of the working community and it would be tragic if we lost it, due to no longer being able to advertise or communicate on the internet. We would be placed in a lot more danger, as we would only be able to rely on our own source of numbers. For this reason it is vital that whatever future legislation comes into action, we are not removed totally from sight or unable to communicate with each other via forums, such as SAAFE and the Home Office approved ‘Ugly Mugs’ scheme in the UK.
Since I started working as a Sex
Worker, I have gone from a woman who didn’t think I was compatible with the
opposite sex, after a failed marriage and three short lived relationships, to
someone who is genuinely looking forward to the day where I am able to start a
relationship and be with someone where we are equals. It is very easy to have your judgement
coloured by the people around you and previous relationships. I have also learnt not to be shallow and only
entertain people that are attractive to me.
I have seen so much inner beauty in men that I deemed to be ‘average’ I
no longer use looks as my first base of call when judging men. I believe I have become a much better, more
tolerant and caring person for it.
Sex Workers work with all walks of life. We provide company, for many different reasons and rarely as selfish as just wanting to have sex with a woman for the sake of it. We are designed to be emotionally and physically close to one another. The first thing you do when greeting someone is to hold out your hand or hug them. Yet there are thousands of men who live totally isolated lives. Be it due to location, work or social deficiencies they have not had the experience of being loved, or being in a relationship. They may never have had a girlfriend; they may feel too shy to ask anyone on a date or just not had the opportunity. These men need intimacy just the same as the rest of us. We all need to be hugged, to feel close to someone and it is perfectly natural to want sex. After all, we are programmed to procreate and it is a perfectly natural urge, but some never get the opportunity to fulfil that urge. I don’t think any of us would want them to live totally sexless lives, so there is no better alternative than paying a Sex Worker. There is no deception, as we both know that it won’t go further, no one is drunk, so it is with full consent and we can enjoy the experience for what it is. There are then, the elderly or the disabled. Men that have had good loving relationships, but perhaps their partner has passed away due to old age and they are left with many years in them and still have the feelings, but most of all miss just being with someone and the closeness. Often they don’t book for the sex and don’t always indulge. In fact it might surprise you to know that many men do not indulge in full intercourse, but prefer companionship and the intimacy of being held. They are givers by nature and need a way to outlet that emotion.
Disability is one of those words
that have a whole host of meanings.
There are many disabled people who have never let their disability stop
them and that also include relationships.
However, for some life is not that easy and they are dealing with the
side effects of their disability. This
might be unable to communicate, immobile, unable to move body parts or
show/recognise emotion. These people
still have the same urges as everyone else and still want to feel close to
another human being. They don’t want to
be pitied, they want to be liked and enjoyed, like everyone else. Why make life even harder for them, by
telling them they have no other outlet than finding someone to love them? Isn’t it hard enough to find love even when
you are the classic alpha male?
I personally have met men that are suffering with depression, suicidal, going through divorce, recovering from divorce, virgins in their 40+, have Asperger’s and various physical disability’s including one young one man who was bed bound and unable to use his own hands to give himself relief. He showed me his testimony and as a fit young 15 year old he had a perfectly normal life, but by his mid 30’s he was waiting to die and wishing he was dead. If my being with him for a little time made it easier to be alive, then who could possibly say it is wrong? With a bright mind, but unable to communicate clearly and decaying body, what alternative does he have? It’s all very well to say, ‘then why don’t you see him for free?’ Yet would you say that to any other professional service provider? Not forgetting the fears of rejection where there is a selection process. This eliminates that do a degree and allows uncomplicated consensual unions.
In this way I think that Sex
Workers do provide for the community. We
keep relationships that would likely die alive, so that families can stay
together, we help to heal the wounds of those that are dealing with separation
and divorce and maintain the man who works all hours and doesn’t have time to
get into a relationship, but doesn’t want to risk hurting someone with a one
night stand. We give back the
confidence, we help to unwind and de-stress and bring laughter back to those
that had forgotten where it was.
These men are not abusive, violent misogynists. They are men that want to feel whole and seek it with someone who is able and at a price gives their consent to intimacy that normally takes time and commitment to receive. There is no pretence, no dishonesty, just a clear cut agreement of what the terms will be and a willingness to enjoy each other’s company.
The Issue of Choice
Where before the introduction of
the internet it may have been in the main rarely a freely-entered choice, being
set against a backdrop of abuse, poverty, low self-esteem, debt, addiction
etc., I no longer believe this is the case.
Today’s Sex Worker is using the occupation to take control of their life
and help them to take the foot up to bigger and better things.
It is widely acknowledged that women now turn to Sex Work to see them through further education and career based qualifications, or to subsidise their wages. I have known ladies who have entered into Sex work from various fields of work, such as lawyers, Nurses, Teachers and many more. These women have used the Internet to set their path and advertise their work. They have no outside influence and are happy and willing, as it means they can fit their work in around their studies or jobs and fill any financial short fall ensuring that they are not left with a huge debt at the end of their studies.
Many jobs do not allow the
flexibility needed to sustain a second job and ensure enough wages to pay for
today’s increasing costs. Where Sex Work
is not suitable for everyone, it is an invaluable option for those that is does
suit and is very empowering, with reaching goals and expectations.
In this way I do not feel that
anyone who is working of their own choice should be discounted as ‘selfish’,
saying that if they are able to earn money in other ways, then they should, but
to understand that there are women who are happy to provide sexual
gratification for those who want to buy it, as a way of income; which is not
based on greed, but based on prospects, be that further education, seeing
family through their schooling in a safe, warm environment, or starting a
business with the capital earned.
I do not believe that poverty or
debt are good reasons to say that there is no choice, as everyone works for an
income and to raise their standard of living.
Sex Work is no different in that respect. Many women choose Sex Work for its high
earning potential, but also because of its flexibility and the opportunities it
offers for the future.
Prostitution and Sex
Trafficking Can Be Separated
There is no evidence to suggest
that women and girls trafficked echo those of women who otherwise find
themselves in prostitution.
Most Sex Workers enjoy a healthy
relationship with the Garda/Police.
While these lines of communication stay open, it will be relatively easy
for them to know which ladies are working of their own free will and leave them
to look for the ones that are not.
There is also a crime line number that is known within the Sex Worker
community and anyone found to be working against their will would be reported.
There are certain areas that are
to be avoided by Sex Workers, as they will have increased trouble there, with
regards to fake bookings and intimidation.
These are the areas where Agencies are known to be active and by working
together, we should be able to locate where they are, which phone numbers they
are using and who is working for them.
In this case there is no ‘honour amongst thieves’ as you might think, as
we do have compassion and do not want to see women working against their
will. However, working for an Agency
does not automatically equal trafficked, as many foreign women do use them as a
stepping stone to finding work in a Country where they have minimal to no
experience of the people or language and it is important to determine if the
ladies are working of their own free will or coerced.
Looking at the figures supplied
by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform Summary report of
trafficking in human beings in Ireland for 2009 there were 66 cases of
suspected or potential trafficked victims in Ireland. Broken down 8 of these were male, 49 female
and 17 children (no gender given). There
is no evidence to suggest what they were being trafficked for, but it is to be
assumed that some may have been trafficked for Sex Work. There is also a possibility that some were
not victims and proven not to be trafficked at all (13 were concluded as no
evidence of trafficking), as they had not investigated this possibility for
‘potentially’ trafficked people at this point.In 2010 there were 58 cases of sexual exploitation recorded, with 51 being female and 5 being male and yet we never hear of the male prostitute needing to be helped or saved? There were also 19 cases of labour exploitation of which 8 were women and 11 were men. Out of the sexual exploitation category 41 were adults and 15 were minors. Bear in mind a minor is 17 or under in the Sex Industry, this should make it easier to identify, as they legally are not allowed to work within the Sex Industry and should be removed from it.
There are strong patterns of
origin shown in the statistics that show a majority of trafficked humans coming
from Africa, then with much lower numbers the EU. This in itself negates the comment made by
Ruhama that it is impossible to distinguish between willing sex worker and
someone who is trafficked, as there are definite trends to be found.
In contrast there were 37
reported sexually trafficked victims in 2011.
34 were female and 3 were male. Of the 37 total, 7 were minors (under
18). Again the majority were from Africa
(29) with the rest divided between EU, Ireland, Asia and Latin America (in that
order)
To further clarify the figures so
they are up to date I spoke to Barra O'Duill, who said that figures for 2012,
although at the moment estimated only show another reduction with 22 cases
investigated in adults and 7 with children.
I assume these are reference to sexual exploitation, although this may
not be the case. Either way this shows a
steady decline in cases over the last 4 years.
It would be fair to say that efforts were raised in 2012 with various
raids on known Sex Worker sites and yet still fewer cases have been found.
These statistics show a strong
element of control over the situation. A
good working relationship between the Garda and Sex Worker and that the Crime
Stoppers line is also effective, where men who pay for sex may report any
concerns they have for trafficked women within the industry. This healthy and co-operative relationship
for both the Sex Worker and the buyer will cease to exist if the buyer is
criminalised, making it virtually impossible for the Garda to protect those who
need it most.
HIV/AID’S, STI’s and
Prostitution Legislation
Having looked at the records for STI’s in Sweden, there is a
general increase in most areas, with Syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia. (1)
2012
Chlamydia infection - 2012 - 37708 - / - 2003 - 26801 (43.1% men/56.8%women)
Gonorrhoea - 2012 - 1098 - / - 2003 - 596
(69.4% men/30.5% women)
Syphilis - 2012 - 201 - / - 2003 - 177 (81% men/18.9% women)
There are two points of interest
in these figures: The first being that
STI’s are continuing to rise. These are
general and not specific to Sex Workers, but would suggest that people
generally are taking more risks in Sweden and not using condoms. It has been suggested that Sex Workers in
Sweden are scared to be found with condoms, as they are being used as evidence
to criminalise their clients and this would be in line with these
findings. The second interesting trend
is that there is a huge increase in STI’s with regards to men. On a personal note, I am wondering if there
is an increase of sexual activity between men, as this is seen as less
compromising than the threat of criminalisation if found with a female Sex
Worker?
Unfortunately Ireland does not
have a database of facts in such an efficient order as Sweden, but I have found
evidence, which I think will show that to bring in the Swedish Model, which may
inhibit the use of condoms, would be a terrible set back to the already failing
education for using precaution.
An article written by Deborah
Condon from Irishhealth.com shows
how Ireland is struggling to spread the word that the use of condoms is
essential to prevent STI’s. Here is the
article.
Ireland has
seen a big increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in recent years.
The trend is related in part to the economic boom, but also the fact that we
have a young, very active population. In addition, because Ireland has had a
very mixed attitude to sex education, attempts to provide clear facts to young
people have been the subject of repeated controversy and some resistance.
A few years
ago, the Department of Health launched a national awareness campaign,
'Think
Twice Every Time'. Its aims? To educate and inform 18-35 year-olds about their
relationships and their sexuality.
One of the
reasons for the campaign was the rise in the incidence of STIs.
Speaking at
the launch of the campaign, Health Minister, Michael Martin, said that the Government
was setting out to achieve a major attitude and behaviour change.
"You
can't run a fast campaign, toss out a bundle of leaflets and hey presto, people
suddenly manage their sexuality differently", he said at the time.
Campaign failure
Of course,
such a campaign needs to be carried out in a slow, measured and comprehensive
manner. Unfortunately this did not happen - funding for the project was
discontinued after a year in operation. Many aspects of the campaign, including
a website, never saw the light of day and today, the incidence of STIs here
continues to rise. It is a symptom of the lack of vision and understanding by
some health authorities to serious issues. But it also points to the fact that
many people are not being cautious in their sexual lives.
This is backed up by an article released thejournal.ie (3rd November 2012), which shows recent
stats:
THE
NUMBER OF cases of STIs in Ireland has risen significantly, with gonorrhoea now
at the highest rate ever recorded for the country.
The report by the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance
Centre found there were 13,259 notifications of STIs in 2011, an increase of
just over 12 per cent on the previous year.
Gonorrhoea cases increased by one third (33.4 per
cent) to 834 cases, and the incidence rate now stands at 18.2 per 100,000
population – a figure that is significantly higher than the European average
(10.4) as well as being the highest incidence recorded in Ireland. Men made up
almost 80 per cent of cases.
The
report was compiled using data from STI clinics, laboratories, and GPs. Other
findings include:
·
Chlamydia
remains the most common STI
accounting for 48.3 per cent of cases last year.
·
Genital
warts were the second most frequently
reported STI at 18.5 per cent.
·
Almost 60
per cent of people with STIs were aged
between 20 and 29.
·
There
were 653 cases of syphilis in
2011, a slight increase on the previous year.
·
Genital
herpes saw the single biggest jump in
the number of cases with an increase of 39.8 per cent year on year.
As a Sex Worker who currently works in Ireland (2013) I can
tell you that there are many men who do not understand how important it is to
use a condom, but as a Sex Worker, I insist on them being used. We are actively educating our clients to the
risks of not using condoms and the majority of us will not entertain a client
who is not willing to wear one.
There have been times where I
have been asked if I will perform sex without a condom, or they have told me
that they have had ‘the snip’ and therefore cannot get me pregnant, so will I
allow bareback sex. These kinds of
requests tell me that they have no idea of why we insist on condoms and that
they are not there to stop pregnancy, but to stop the spread of STI’s.
I am also very aware that Irish
men rarely if at all attend clinics and do not attend regular tests to make
sure that they are clean of sexually transmitted diseases. They assume that they would know if there was
something wrong, even though it is common knowledge that some diseases like
chlamydia for example, have no traceable side effects in the majority of people
who have it. Yet this can stop their
partner from having children if they pass it on without detection.
It is my opinion that Sex Workers
offering unprotected sex should be illegal; regardless of their working status
and that ladies who insist on using condoms for penetrative sex are legal,
along with their clients. This is
legislation that I would be keen to adopt.
Health should be taken very
seriously and it concerns me that Ireland is not already pulling out all the
stops to ensure that their young people are not fully prepared and aware of all
the reasons why they need to be taking full protection with condoms. With this in mind, I think the Swedish Model
would influence some Sex Workers to stop using condoms, especially if they have
been targeted by the Garda and further exasperate an existing problem in
Ireland that has not yet been combated.
Further to this there is also the issue of ‘stigma’. In Sweden the criminalisation of clients has
worked to further stigmatise Sex Workers and their clients and as such both
clients and Sex Workers are not receiving the care that they need with regards
to sexual diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
The information below states:
A fear raised by the Ombudsman was that the increased
stigma would lead to worse prospects for health promotion and HIV-preventive
work. It referred to UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS,
that discourages criminalization for this reason: social stigma might influence
the contact with social authorities, the health care system and the judicial
system.
RFSL(2) also referred to UNAIDS and expressed its
great concern for the Swedish situation: the organization has knowledge of
several instances where HIV-preventive measurements aimed at clients were
stopped with reference to the ban. It further believes that the point of view
expressed by the evaluation, that “increased stigmatization is positive” is an
almost counteractive attitude to harm reduction. For example, sex workers with
whom the RFSL has been in contact have reported that stigma prevents them
talking about their prostitution experiences when testing for HIV/STI. To
strengthen the stigma will lessen the chances to reach people who sell sex and
to conduct harm reduction measures, concludes RFSL. The organization also
points out that HIV-preventive needs are greater amongst men who sell sex to
men and transgender people, but that the official evaluation almost totally
ignores this population. Studies done by RFSL showed that 38.5 percent of the
men who sell sex never tested for STIs.
It is therefore possible that yet another negative
consequence of the ban is an increased level of STI and HIV amongst sex workers
and their clients. The Board of Health and Welfare, which also expresses
concern about the consequences of an increased stigma, writes in its response
that according to the 2010 Swedish UNAIDS report that only 18.5 per cent of
drug-using sex workers used a condom during their most recent intercourse.
Conclusion
We believe that one has to look at several factors to
understand the discrepancy between the stated success of the Sex Purchase Act
and its documented effects. While there are some police, social workers and
former sex workers who claim that the ban has indeed helped reduce prostitution
and trafficking and deterred clients without any adverse effects, the reports
and documents that have a scientific rather than ideological base do not
support these success claims. Hence, as we and others have written elsewhere,
we believe that it is in the ideological and cultural domains that the creation
of the “unique” Sex Purchase Act and the above mention discrepancy must be
found. It has to do with a desire to create and uphold a national identity of
being the moral consciousness in the world; with notions or “good” and “bad”
sexuality; with the whore stigma; with creating new forms of sexual deviancy;
with a communitarian, rather than liberal, political culture, and perhaps above
all: a stereotypical and uninformed understanding of prostitution. (3)
The "Swedish model"
consists of several laws and regulations. The three main laws that criminalize
or prevent prostitution involving adults are those addressing pandering, the
forfeiture of rental apartments and rooms used for prostitution, and the
purchase of sex. (4)
This means that Sex Workers if
discovered by the Garda will likely find themselves evicted, as the landlords
will be forced to drive them out or risk prosecution. The landlord may have had no idea, but the
second they are informed they would have no choice but to act.
In the Spotlight document
‘Prostitution regulation in Ireland: Which way now? It states that in Sweden
prostitution is partially criminalised.
The purchase of sexual services is a crime, but the sale of sexual
services is not. The Swedish law aims
for the promotion of equality for women and protection from violence. It aims for the abolition of prostitution in
the long run and for public support for this aim.
The first fault I find with this
is the ‘promotion of equality’. Sex work
is not only for females. Although it
does have a majority female work force, both males and females can and do
participate in prostitution. If they are
looking for equality in the work force, then perhaps they should be looking in
other fields of business where the majority of managerial positions are
dominated by men and men earn more than women when doing the same job. Sex Work is one of the few occupations where
a woman can earn money comparable with the higher end jobs that are normally
denied them. This IS equality!
Violence! Yes Sex Work can be a
volatile and dangerous occupation, but no more so than serving in the Military,
being a Nurse/Doctor or Fire Person, to name but a few dangerous
occupations. The work itself is not
violence and should not be considered so, as long as both parties are
consenting. Yes it is good to have
measures in place in case of violence, but it should not be presumed as part of
the occupation.
It also goes on to say that the
Swedish Model is based on the perception that all prostitution is viewed as
exploitation and involuntary. This
however is incorrect and as such the reasoning behind it is unfair to both the
purchaser and the provider. As someone
who has chosen to be a Sex Worker, I can categorically say that I am not
exploited, as I am paid well for my services and only offer services that I am
comfortable with. I have the freedom to
withdraw services at any point and I am at liberty to refuse services
completely if I believe the client to be of any risk to myself.
I chose this occupation after
carefully considering my skill base, time available and flexibility; it is
totally voluntary. The majority of Sex
Workers are Independent and have similar choices as myself.
Being Self-Employed I am a
registered tax payer. Admittedly I do
not use the title of ‘prostitute’ or ‘sex worker’ for my business due to the
stigma attached and not wanting any impact on future jobs, but I am keen to pay
my way and contribute to society. This
also allows me to claim expenses and build up on my credit rating, which will
improve my future with greater financial options. I think if Sex Workers were encouraged to
feel that their work was legal and above board, more would opt to pay tax and
like me contribute to Society financially.
This does not mean that the government are profiting from sex, but
profiting from self-employed people offering a service, which is exactly how it
should be viewed by all.
I am not sure where the law would
stand on this if our client base were made to be criminals? Would this not also make it even more
ambiguous as the government could then be seen to be profiting from criminal
activity? Surely it is better to encourage
transparency and participating in contributing to the Country, where we reside
most from earnings, without fear of discord? Also, if the person is paying tax,
is it not more reassuring that they are working of their own free will and not
an illegal immigrant, in turn creating another way to monitor trafficking.
Returning to the Spotlight
document it argues that the Swedish model means that trafficked prostitutes
will be more likely to seek help and get out of prostitution as they will not
be prosecuted for selling sexual services.
This makes no sense, as it is not illegal now, so what difference
exactly is there to make it ‘more likely?’
Arguing against the approach it rightly acknowledges that ‘the
criminalisation of the purchase of sexual services drives prostitution deeper
underground, which makes it both more difficult to find and assist trafficked
prostitutes and more dangerous for the prostitutes’. I am inclined to believe this is closer to
the reality and as such there would be less approaching for help, as they would
find it harder to reach out to any help offered, plus with the clients being
too scared to report concerns there would be less co-operation in finding them
out and on a more mercenary note. Sex
Workers who do not wish to lose income will likely work elsewhere, leaving less
choice for the purchaser; who may be more inclined to turn a blind eye, in the
knowledge that his activities are criminal anyway. Please do consider that the more law abiding
clients may have stopped visiting Sex Workers, leaving the less sympathetic
purchaser behind, possibly encouraging Sex Workers to agree to bookings they
may have previously rejected.
There are very few statistics to
be found with regards to how much prostitution there was before and after the
Swedish Model came into play, but with the figures that have been presented it
would be a fair analysis to assume that there is no difference in the amount of
people selling sex, but the way in which they work has changed in order to
avoid the negative consequences of the legislation.
Accordingly to the Malmö
Knowledge Centre, the changing technology has resulted in the “hidden” (indoor)
prostitution now making up four-fifths (80%) of the overall prostitution
prevalence, compared to two-thirds (67%) before the ban was introduced. This
would leave us with a similar total number of people involved in prostitution
as before the ban, or about 1,500 people.
In its 2007 report
the National Board of Health and Welfare summarized the situation in the
following manner:
It is also difficult to discern any clear trend of development:
has the extent of prostitution increased or decreased? We cannot give any
unambiguous answer to that question. At most, we can discern that street
prostitution is slowly returning, after swiftly disappearing in the wake of the
law against purchasing sexual services. But as said, that refers to street
prostitution, which is the most obvious manifestation. With regard to increases
and decreases in other areas of prostitution – the “hidden prostitution” – we
are even less able to make any statements.
The National Board for Health and Welfare. (5)
The
Sex Purchase Act can both be a hindrance to traffickers, but also a tool to
improve market conditions, due to the higher prices for sex that the ban
creates. (6)
This
supports my belief that trafficking will become worse under this legislation
and not work to improve conditions and accessibility to those who want to be
found and rescued, but make more money for the sophisticated criminal. This is further evident by the following
statement.
Serious organized crime, including prostitution and trafficking,
has increased in strength, power and complexity during the past decade. It
constitutes a serious social problem in Sweden and organized crime makes large
amounts of money from the exploitation and trafficking of people under
slave-like conditions.
National Police Board press release March 2010
(6)
When it comes to clients, it
seems they are less willing to assist as witnesses in cases in which profiteers
who exploit the sexual labour of others are prosecuted, since they now find
themselves guilty of a crime. Clients are exposed to blackmail and robbery, and
the stigma associated with buying sex means people often have to leave their
jobs and positions, even on a mere suspicion. (9)
Consequently
the last convicted Pimp/Trafficker was in 2007, despite 77 cases being brought
forward between 2008 and 2010. This
would support the theory that criminalising sex purchasers has made it harder
to gain vital evidence in order for a conviction to be granted.
Religious, Feminist and
Moralising Organisations
With regards to morals, this
legislation is not really concerned with the morality of Sex Work. It should not really be a factor in today’s
society of whether it be right or wrong, but kept to the real facts that are
about reducing trafficking and people (not just women and children) entering
into a situation where someone else is profiting from them. It should also be about making the job as
safe as possible, with regards to violence and health and this won’t happen if
we are further stigmatised by criminalising the very people that pay our wages.
It is difficult to see how
representatives that are more interested in Feminism, religious beliefs and
Morals can contribute impartially and I think the evidence shows this is the
case with the existing Swedish Model as it stands.
On a final note it was concluded
in the Etute-suede 2011:
Our stance when it comes to
policy regarding prostitution is that it has to be based on knowledge rather
than morality or radical feminist ideology. We also believe that when policy is
developed, the actors at the heart of this policy must be adequately consulted
and duly respected. In our opinion, this has not been the case with regards to
“the Swedish model”. (10)
Isn’t this history repeating itself? Is it not possible to learn from the mistakes
of others and use them for the greater good of the whole community and not just
sectors that disapprove? This
legislation helps no one, but will do a lot of damage to the very people it is
alleged to help.
The Sex Purchase Act
The Sex Purchase Act was introduced by feminist
policymakers who argued that ‘prostitution is a form of
male violence against women, that it is physically and psychologically damaging
to sell sex and that there are no women
who sell sex voluntarily.’ Furthermore, it was claimed that ‘if one wants to achieve a gender-equal
society, then prostitution must cease to exist – not only for the
above-mentioned reasons, but also because all women in society are harmed as long
as men think they can "buy women's bodies". If the ban would have
adverse effects for individual women who sell sex, or if it violates their
right to self-determination would not matter. The gender-equal symbolic value
of the Sex Purchase Act is more important.’
We already know that the highlighted
statement is not true. Many women are
able to not just survive working within this industry, but prosper. It is condescending to suppose that women do
not know themselves well enough to succeed as a Sex Worker without some form of
damage, in the same way they would know if they were suited to the Military,
being a gymnast or a Scientist. We all
have different qualities to offer and select our work accordingly.
With regards to gender-equality
and men not being able to see us as equals as long as they are able to “buy
women’s bodies” is ridiculous. More
likely the objection is lack of control as many women control their men through
their inherent need for sex and ration them depending on what they want from
them. It is the man that is being controlled
and lacking gender equality in relationships and sometimes in the
workforce. Yet this goes
overlooked? It is also possible for
women to buy time from men or use their bodies as a bargaining tool, using
their marital status as a carrot, knowing full well that in the eyes of God
they are not able to obtain sexual relief anywhere else. The fact that some men choose to purchase sex
makes that dangling carrot redundant and despite the fact they would argue not
using their feminine charms to get what they want, it happens on a daily basis,
with no one batting an eyelid. At least
with purchasing sex there is no game playing, not agenda and no deception. It is a case of double standards.
The overall implications of these
laws is that no one can operate a brothel, rent
an apartment, room or hotel room, assist with finding clients, act as a
security guard or allow advertising for
sex workers. This in turn implies that sex workers cannot work together, recommend customers to each other,
advertise, work from property they rent or own or even cohabit with a partner (since that partner is likely to share part
of any income derived from sex work). In addition, the law against pandering
makes it difficult for the authorities to utilise harm reduction strategies.
For instance distribution of condoms, although perfectly legal under the Social
Services and Communicable Diseases Acts respectively, might be perceived by
non-legal experts as encouraging prostitution, (4i)
The highlighted areas I would
like to discuss. If I am unable to rent
an apartment or room, then I am being forced onto the street, which is putting
me in greater danger and exposure. If I
am not allowed to advertise, then it means that I am going to have to go underground
and offer different services to those actually offered. This means I will have more clients asking
for services I am not happy to offer and make complications that could lead to an
assault. Client recommendations are the
best word of mouth way to know that you are dealing with a safe and trustworthy
client. All businesses operate in this
way and give priority to good customers.
Cohabit with a partner. This is
the worst rule I have read so far. This
means that you are actively denying a Sex Worker a loving relationship. Where are the equal rights for women when a
woman is denied a normal life outside of work?
There is no relationship where the couple does not benefit from wages
earned. It is that which gives them
stability. How can a law be put in place
to deny a woman a loving relationship or marriage? I would imagine living a life without love
would be far more damning and psychologically detrimental than a life as a
voluntary Sex Worker; otherwise there would not be such a thing as a Swinger,
where they actively seek out sex with strangers for their own pleasure.
Looking at Sweden it seems that
the legislation has not worked to stop men purchasing sex. They are either going to different Countries
to indulge themselves or relating it to the same as a speeding fine, as the police
acknowledge there is still a great demand for the purchase of sex.
Many compared the illegal nature
of buying sex with speeding; it is illegal to drive a car too fast as well, and
one might or not get caught doing it – but it was still worth it. (8)
This
is in line with a small survey conducted with 113 active sex purchasers in
Ireland. As you can see from the pie
chart the majority said that they would continue to purchase sex, if
legislation criminalised the purchaser.
Conclusion
To wrap this up as simply as
possible I have to ask myself. Would
criminalising the purchasers of sex improve my life as a Sex Worker? Without doubt and categorically it would not
and I strongly believe it would make my life much harder and put me in
unnecessary danger. I would be
constantly scared that I may be thrown out of the accommodation I was
using. I would be constantly worried
about being under surveillance and my clients being made criminals and as such
I would be involved in various court cases as an accessory. I would feel unable to use local clinics in
Ireland should an accident happen where a condom splits, in case questions are
asked and I would not be able to tell them that I was a Sex Worker, as this
information may be passed on to the Garda, who would then be checking my
movements and questioning my clients.
Do I think it would help to
rescue trafficked women forced into Sex Work?
Quite the reverse! I think the
nature of criminalising the client will force Sex Work further underground and
with it the victims of trafficking. I
believe there would be more victims of trafficking, as the demand would
increase in line with Independent Sex Workers seeking work elsewhere.
Do I agree that all prostitutes
are working against their will and violated?
How can I believe that when I am one and don’t fit that mould? I personally have never come across anyone
who is working against their will and I have met many women all over the UK and
Ireland. I interact with them on a daily
basis on various forums and I have visited several in their work place, which
ranged from homely to plush. Many of the
women were in further education, or had families and thought of Sex Work purely
as a job. There are no hang ups, no
obvious side effects and in some cases we didn’t even discuss work, but normal
day to day topics, as of the real world.
It is wrong to label a whole
sector of society as incapable of knowing what is best for them. It is wrong to suggest that they are not
capable of making an informed choice and willingly choose to work in the sex
industry. It is a job that takes a
certain type of person and is not suited to everyone. It is not a job to be glamorised, but for
those it does suit, it can provide a good quality of life, provide financial
security and a path to a fulfilling future.
Some of us enjoy touring and enjoy visiting new places, new people and
have more enriched lives. It is a great
facilitator. I would also go as far as
to say there is great job satisfaction to be had, where purchasers have made
life changing differences to their lives, based on the experience they have had
with us. It does happen and it will
continue to happen. If you truly care
about my life and my fellow workers, be them male, female or transgender. Please don’t consider the Swedish Model of
criminalising the purchaser. It will
only make things worse for the willing Sex Worker and those that really need
your help. The minority, the trafficked
few!
1.
Smi – Smittskyddsinstitute
2.
3. The Swedish Sex Purchase Act:
Claimed Success and Documented Effects, by Susanne Dodillet and Petra Östergren
4. Etude-suede 2011 – page 3
4i Etude-suede 2011 –
page 4
5.
Etude-suede 2011 – page 11
6.
Etude-suede 2011 – page 12
7.
Etude-suede 2011 – page 13
8.
Etude-suede 2011 – page 15
9.
Etude-suede 2011 – page 21
10.
Etude-suede 2011 – page 25
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