Why the Legalisation of Prostitution is a Failed Social Experiment?

Whistleblowers Tasmania has invited Professor Sheila Joy Jeffreys from the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Australia (CATWA) to speak at a public forum at 1pm on Saturday 2nd June at the Friends Meeting House in North Hobart on the topic –

Legalising Prostitution = Legalising Violence against Women.

CATWA is the Australian branch of CATW International, a Non Governmental Organization having Category II consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It works locally and internationally to end all forms of sexual exploitation of women, especially the violence of prostitution, trafficking and pornography.

Much of the debate in Tasmania and Australia on this issue is highly polarised, often biased and at times voices have been threatened, silenced or censored.

It is in the public interest for all opinions in this debate to be heard, not just those voices that represent commercial vested interests, which too often Australian governments submit to.

Professor Jeffreys will explain that legalising brothel prostitution is a failed social experiment. It does not control the industry, or eliminate corruption, organized crime or street prostitution. Instead it exacerbates all these problems. It does not end the violence and abuse that women in prostitution suffer, but instead gives the seal of approval to the everyday violence of prostitution that women get paid to survive. It will make Tasmania a pimp state, which profits from prostituting women. She will explain how legalising the industry of prostitution threatens the equality of all women, including their rights to equality of relationships and equality in the workplace.

For many years Professor Jeffreys has studied the various legislative approaches internationally on prostitution and she supports the Nordic model of legislation. The Nordic model has been adopted by several countries in Europe, South Korea and many other countries are looking to follow.

Based on Professor Jeffrey’s research her talk will help to inform the Tasmanian community about why legalising prostitution is a failed social experiment.

Professor Sheila Joy Jeffreys is from the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne and is the Public Officer of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Australia. Professor Jeffreys is the author of eight books on the history and politics of sexuality including The Idea of Prostitution and The Industrial Vagina: The Political Economy of the Global Sex Trade.

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Sheila_Joy_Jeffreys_Forum_Flyer.doc