Eradicate this vile, abusive trade
The more legitimacy given to the sex trade, the worse it will be. It is crucial that we recognise that men have no right or need to pay for sex,
Prostitution is shrouded in mythology and is usually referred to as “sex work” by those who claim it is a job like any other. But — as someone who has long campaigned against the normalisation of the sex trade — I have discovered, by spending time with dozens of women who have escaped prostitution, that it is built on abuse and degradation.
Why is it then that so many people think decriminalising or legalising the sex trade is a better option than abolishing prostitution altogether? How would removing all laws on pimping, brothel-owning and paying for sex possibly make it safer for the women?
Under decriminalisation, prostitution would be treated like any other business and subjected to similar regulations. Legalisation means that the state would recognise prostitution as a lawful activity but require the licensing of brothels. Both legislative frameworks have one crucial thing in common: pimping and brothel-owning, as well as paying for sex, become unproblematic activities.
This week, a bill was passed in Australia’s Northern Territory that decriminalises every aspect of the sex trade. The bill also gives pimps and punters the right to take women to court for damages if they don’t “complete service” or if they withdraw consent.
Its supporters argued that decriminalisation would help legitimise currently illegal businesses, but why would anyone wish to legitimise businesses that abuse women? In fact, under these laws, illegal prostitution expands, because the eyes of the police are no longer on the industry.
Sex trade apologists claim that legalisation prevents prostitution from going underground, prevents the involvement of underage girls and reduces trafficking. By referring to prostitution as “sex work”, the punters as “clients” and the pimps as “managers”, this vile and exploitative trade becomes sanitised.
There is even a euphemism for trafficking: “migration for sex work”. During the slave trade, a profiteer in the West Indies suggested: “Instead of slaves, let them be called assistant planters and we shall not then hear such violent outcries against the slave trade.”
I spent time in legal brothels in Australia when researching my book on the sex trade, and found that the women are not safe and only the pimps and punters benefit.
In July 2016, the UK parliament’s home affairs committee published an interim report on prostitution, which looked favourably at blanket decriminalisation. The report made clear that the committee members were unlikely to recommend introducing a law to criminalise those who pay for sex. The committee was chaired by Keith Vaz — who three months later was exposed as a sex buyer.
Sex trade survivors are dead against legalisation. “Under legalisation, there is more violence, because the men feel protected and entitled, [and] more trafficking and underage girls, because legalisation creates a warm welcome for pimps,” says Sabrinna Valisce, who was prostituted in legal and illegal brothels in Australia and New Zealand.
Why, then, are so many political parties in favour of removing penalties from exploiters?
Germany has had legal brothels since the 1970s. There are about 400,000 women in prostitution, and every day about 1.2-million men buy sex. This is a lot when you think the population of the country is 80-million.
There are “mega brothels” in cities such as Munich and Berlin that can accommodate hundreds of punters at a time, often with an early-bird deal of a burger, beer and sex with as many women as they can manage during one visit. There are about 3,000 red-light establishments in the country and 500 brothels in Berlin alone.
The way that governments regulate the sex trade sends out a powerful message about how seriously we take sexual exploitation.
The more legitimacy given to the sex trade, the worse it will be. It is crucial that we begin to imagine a world without prostitution and recognise that men have no right or need to pay for sex. The only possible solution to solve the problems of prostitution is to do as many other countries have done, and criminalise those who engage in it.
Sex is not a human right. The only right we should be concerned with when it comes to prostitution is the right of women and girls not to be bought and sold.
— © The Daily Telegraph, London
Bindel is an author and researcher into sex work and its impact on women
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