A Parent’s Pledge for Girl Summit 2014
Human Rights
The Sex Trade: Lies, the ‘Voice of the Voiceless’ and Other Silencing Tactics
Most people are voiceless because no one is letting them talk or listening to them when they do. There is a lot to be said for quitting being the voice of the voiceless and letting people speak for themselves. But not by those seeking to abolish the sex trade. Words are put into people's mouths when they can be, and when they can't, those people are silenced and dismissed.
The Enemy of my Enemy… Why I Want to Talk with Abolitionists about the Cons’ New Prostitution Bill
Originally posted on autocannibal:
This is Not Feminist Legislation, and it’s Not Supply-Side Decriminalization For those of us who would like to see sex workers totally decriminalized within our lifetimes, the Conservative government’s Bill C36 – a replacement for the anti-prostitution laws struck down by the Supreme Court in R v. Bedford – was worse…
This is Not Feminist Legislation, and it’s Not Supply-Side Decriminalization For those of us who would like to see sex workers totally decriminalized within our lifetimes, the Conservative government’s Bill C36 – a replacement for the anti-prostitution laws struck down by the Supreme Court in R v. Bedford – was worse…
No Country for Young Women: Honour Crimes and Infanticide in Ireland
Originally posted on Feminist Ire:
When I was in first year in secondary school in 1997, a girl in the year above me was pregnant. She was 14. The only people who I ever heard say anything negative about her were a group of older girls who wore their tiny feet “pro-life” pins on their…
When I was in first year in secondary school in 1997, a girl in the year above me was pregnant. She was 14. The only people who I ever heard say anything negative about her were a group of older girls who wore their tiny feet “pro-life” pins on their…
APPG on Prostitution and the Global Sex Trade Report “Shifting the Burden” Increases Violence Against Women
With politicians' infamy for 'shifting the burden', this was not the best title for an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) report. Chosen to reflect their recommendation of shifting the burden of criminalisation from the seller of sex to the buyer, in practice this fails as badly as when politicians endeavour a cover up - like why was this group funded by a religious anti-gay charity!?
Kent Police ‘Safe Exit’ Scheme Claiming to Help Women in Prostitution Instead Caused Them Harm
In 2009, Kent Police began a scheme in Medway called Safe Exit, supposedly to help women leave the sex trade by offering treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, training and education, and housing. These services along with others such as trauma therapy are needed by many women seeking to leave prostitution. But what our investigation uncovered was that instead of receiving these services, the women received a criminal record, a major obstacle preventing people leaving the sex trade by hindering other employment chances and keeping them trapped in prostitution.
26 March in Parliament, Stop the Criminalisation of Sex Work
In the Booth with Ruth – Pye Jakobsson, Sex Workers’ Rights Activist from Sweden
I am concerned with labour exploitation in general. I have my doubts regarding if the trafficking terminology is really helpful... Without a clear distinction between sex work and forced labour we can never really address the exploitation that happens in the sex industry as well as in other industries...
MEDIA RELEASE: Drugs and HIV groups call on UK to reject United Nations drugs declaration | Harm Reduction International
National Police Lead for Prostitution, ACC Chris Armitt, Discusses the Merseyside Model
I think any steps that are taken that enhance the police response to attacks on vulnerable groups such as sex workers are important... The Merseyside model aims to build trust and confidence amongst sex workers to report when they are attacked, which allows the police to identify and arrest dangerous people who pose a threat to the whole of society.
The Swedish Model Criminalising The Purchase of Sex Is Dangerous: The European Parliament Should Have Rejected It
In sound bites, the Swedish Government has been spinning their sex purchase ban, known as the “Swedish model” or sometimes the “Nordic model” though it is not adopted by all Nordic countries, as a success. However, research does not show it has reduced sex trafficking or sex work. In addition, their own police report demonstrates it has pushed prostitution indoors with nearly three times as many Thai massage parlours in Stockholm and the vicinity.
In the Booth with Ruth – Meg Munoz, Former Sex Worker, Trafficking Survivor, Ally and Rights Advocate
Too many human rights abuses are happening, too many opportunities being lost, and too many freedoms being denied... When you have those being trafficked being criminalized, we’ve got a problem. When you have sex workers being denied the full opportunity to engage, participate, and provide for themselves, something’s horribly wrong...
Policing Prostitution – The Merseyside Hate Crime Model That Prioritises Protection of Sex Workers
This joined-up approach prioritising protection over enforcement enables women in the sex trade to feel safe reporting crimes committed against them. Because trusting relationships with the police have been developed, reporting of crimes has dramatically increased. Women in prostitution in Merseyside know when they call the police they will be treated as any other victim of crime...
George Perez & Mohammad Maaty Discuss Their New TV Series ‘The Life’ Raising Awareness of Child Sex Trafficking
Ruth Jacobs 