Sex work to be decriminalised
THE Territory’s “confusing and outdated” prostitution laws are expected to receive a major shake-up this year.
It’s expected the widereaching reforms will decriminalise sex work.
Under NT laws, providing prostitution services isn’t illegal, but brothels are, and sex workers say that restriction exposes them to danger.
With no legitimate brothels allowed to operate, brothels disguised as massage parlours have flourished in Darwin.
THE Territory’s “confusing and outdated” prostitution laws are expected to receive a major shake-up this year.
It’s expected the widereaching reforms will decriminalise sex work.
Under NT laws, providing prostitution services isn’t illegal, but brothels are, and sex workers and their advocates say that restriction takes away their freedom to choose how they work and can open them up to unnecessary dangers.
With no legitimate brothels allowed to operate, brothels disguised as massage parlours have flourished in Darwin.
Sex Worker Outreach Program co-ordinator Leanne Melling said raids by authorities on these parlours by authorities were “inhumane” and perpetuated “stigma, discrimination and disrespect” towards sex workers.
“I think that most Territorians and our politicians would be horrified if they knew what takes place at these raids on sex workers’ workspaces,” she said. “Border Force and the police take pictures of people with contents of tipped-out bins, and or their personal belongings in front of them strewn on the floor.”
NT Police Sex Crimes Division boss acting Superintendent Brett Prowse said multiagency raids on Darwin massage parlours suspected of operating as illegal brothels last October turned up no breaches of the Prostitution Regulation Act. More raids would be carried out in the future, he said. Current Territory laws also require sex workers to register with police for life. They’re required to provide details such as their hair and eye colour, details of any tattoos and next of kin. The highly invasive rules turn many sex workers off registration.
Jules Kim, chief executive of sex workers union Scarlet Alliance, said the registration regime was highly problematic and exposed sex workers to discrimination.
“It happens in pretty much every facet of our lives to accessing goods and services to getting accommodation — regardless of whether we’re working or not. It gets brought up in custody cases — it’s assumed that you’re a bad parent if you’re a sex worker,” she said. But those who choose to operate outside of the regulated system open themselves up to a different set of problems.
“If an (unregistered) sex worker is a victim of a crime, they’re not able to go to police for fear of being arrested,” Ms Kim said.
Sex worker Ashley Raise said current laws “criminalised” her for wanting to work with the safety net provided by working with others.
“These rotten laws subject us to violence. I want laws that protect me not put me in danger,” she said.
Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said the reform would “provide a solid and sustainable framework for workers, industry and the community”.