SA parliament must enact equality model of prostitution law reform
Prostitution is an area where we do well to learn from the mistakes of others before repeating them.
For example, in Queensland prostitution was legalised to make sexual services ‘safe’ for prostituted women. A client recently assaulted a prostituted Queensland woman and she was left with psychological scarring. The prostituted woman frantically cried out “Help me” as she was attacked. This underscores the reality that prostitution is never safe.
This is just one incident in a litany demonstrating that any form of decriminalisation of prostitution encourages more prostitution, leaving it to the capitalist market, inexorably leading to more abuse of (mostly) women.
This is why South Australian Parliamentarians must lead the way in enacting a model that works to protect women: the ‘Equality’ or ‘Nordic’ Model. This prostitution legislation minimises the exploitation of vulnerable people – mainly women – and provides meaningful ways out of the sex trade. This Model in place in Scandinavia and elsewhere around the world decriminalises the selling of sex but criminalises buying sex, whilst providing real exit strategies for prostituted people. The Model decreases prostitution and increases women’s safety. The Equality Model’s success lies partly in the buyers (mainly men) knowing they face the real risk of prosecution.
It is time for SA to lead the nation in protecting vulnerable women. Please pray that Members of Parliament would enact the Equality Model legislation in 2020. Please also be ready to participate in ACL’s imminent campaign for Equality Model legislation.
This is a great opportunity for SA to lead the way in this groundbreaking reform and the ACL movement must be at the forefront of this change. Why? Because God cares for the vulnerable.
