By revealing that he is in favour of decriminalising sex work, Jeremy Corbyn has shown he is willing to listen to the voices of sex workers.
Corbyn’s support puts him in the company of the overwhelming majority of sex workers, academics and frontline support services like my charity, National Ugly Mugs (NUM), which provides direct support to thousands of sex workers throughout the UK. He is also joined by organisations such as UN AIDS, Human Rights Watch, Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women, and Amnesty International.
This is an emotive debate, but the voices of sex workers are absolutely central to it and Corbyn is clearly hearing what they are saying. Whether they are, like the majority of sex workers, making a conscious choice to sell sex, or part of the small minority who are forced or exploited, their views are clear. Criminalising any aspect of consenting sex between adults compromises their safety and as a result harms some of the most marginalised members of society.
NUM deals with around 60 incidents of violence against sex workers each month, and the vast majority of those targeted do not want to report these incidents to the police. Offenders often tell the sex workers, while abusing them, that they know they won’t be reported to the police and even if they are, the police won’t take the incident seriously. These offenders simply get away with their crimes and continue to pose a threat to us all.
In areas such as Suffolk, Nottinghamshire and Humberside, where the police aggressively enforce existing legislation targeting sex workers and clients, it is no surprise that sex workers rarely want to speak to the police when they are attacked or raped by offenders.
Only 4% of sex workers in Nottinghamshire, and not a single one of the handful of sex workers in Suffolk or Humberside who reported crimes to NUM, were willing to speak to the police. In contrast, areas where anti-sex work legislation is largely ignored and sex workers are treated as human beings, rather than problems to be dealt with, they are far likely to report violent and sexual crimes, including exploitation, to the police.
The home affairs select committee is considering whether the UK should introduce the so-called “buyer’s law”, where those who pay for sex are prosecuted, rather then the sex workers. It has been implemented in Sweden, and is supported by a loud lobby of people ideologically opposed to sex work. However, it is rejected by the vast majority of academic experts, frontline service providers and, most importantly, by sex workers.
A recent survey (pdf) carried out by NUM showed more than 60% of organisations working with sex workers and 67% of sex workers supported the decriminalised system being advocated by Corbyn. Just 4% of organisations and 2% of sex workers said they supported the Swedish model.
The change of law in Sweden has not improved the situation for sex workers either. The law has not demonstrably reduced the numbers of people selling sex, and it has significantly intensified the stigma they experience, compromising both their safety and access to health and support.
The evidence for decriminalisation is clear, and the fact that Corbyn is prepared to add his voice to this debate and listen to sex workers, who are so often silenced by others, is a welcome and refreshing step forward.
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