In the midst of an unprecedented boom in tourism and construction in Tasmania there are some developments Tasmanians do not want to see.
Labor and the Greens party policy would see cityscapes in Hobart and other major centres in Tasmania advertising to the world that new doors have opened up to the global sex trade, and to sex traffickers.
Across the Tasman, in New Zealand, we have seen the results of regressive sex law policies with a boom in tourism and a proliferation of brothels, thanks to opportunistic real estate developers like the Chow brothers.
This is an issue of real concern, especially for parents and young Tasmanians, with the severe shortage of housing leading to increasing homelessness – a major driver for girl’s/women’s entry into the sex trade. In the UK, for example, many landlords are now advertising free rent in exchange for unfettered sexual access to women.
The average age of entry into the sex trade worldwide is 14 years.
The under-resourcing of child protection has been raised by Greens member Cassy O’Connor but Ms O’Connor has failed to address the needs of girls and women who desperately want to exit the sex trade in Tasmania – dedicated programs and real choices for these women are an absolute necessity.
In jurisdictions where prostitution is decriminalised (NSW) or legalised (Victoria) there has been a massive expansion in the illegal sex trade, mostly operating out of beauty salons and massage parlours. Many of the women being bought for sex in these premises have been coerced or trafficked, both locally and from overseas.
AirBNB sites are also being used for illegal brothel operations.
It is known that an increasing number of Asian women studying at UTAS are selling sex in order to pay for exorbitant rental accommodation.
Lack of affordable housing and expensive higher education pushes women into the sex trade.
The dominant narrative – that being bought for sex is just ‘sex work’ – is a myth that normalises prostitution in the eyes of society. It does not spare the women and girls in prostitution from harm and trauma.
And while Labor and the Greens policy supports the Tasmanian Council of Civil Liberties push for a Human Rights Charter, nowhere in this draft charter is there support for the provisions concerning prostitution contained in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women – CEDAW.
Labor and the Greens policy would see open slather brothel development in Tasmania and a free market in the sexploitation of girls and women’s bodies at a time when violence to girls and women is on the increase, and protections and services for girls and women are coming under increasing pressure.
The Liberals remain silent on the issue and are reluctant to open up further discussion on Stop Demand laws.
And, like the several jurisdictions worldwide that have decriminalised pimps, profiteers and sex buyers, Labor and the Greens would see Tasmania opening the doors to sex trafficking and the ensuing exponential increase in harms suffered by girls and women in the sex trade.
It’s time that candidates in this election have the courage to speak out and oppose the commodification and sexualisation of girls and women and commit to supporting Stop Demand laws if elected to parliament.
In the midst of an unprecedented boom in tourism development and construction in Tasmania there are some developments that Tasmanians do not want to see.
Labor and Green Party policy would see cityscapes in Hobart and other major centres in Tasmania advertising to the world that new doors have opened up to the global sex trade and to traffickers.
Across the Tasman we have seen the results of regressive sex law policies during their boom in tourism and brothel and real estate developers the Chow brothers.
This is a real issue of concern especially for parents and young Tasmanians with the severe shortage of housing leading to increasing homelessness – a major driver for girl’s/women’s entry into the sex trade. In the UK many landlords are now advertising free rent in exchange for unfettered sexual access to women.
The average age of entry into the sex trade is 14 years.
The under resourcing of child protection has been raised by Greens Cassy O’Connor but no mention of the need to establish Exit Programs for those girls and women wanting real choices to exit the sex trade in Tasmania.
Under decriminalised and legalised jurisdictions we have already seen in Victoria and New South Wales the massive expansion in the illegal sector operating out of beauty salons and massage parlours. Many of the women being bought for sex from these premises have been corced or trafficked. AirBNB is also being used for illegal operations.
It is known that an increasing number of Asian women studying at UTAS are selling sex in order to pay for exorbitant rental accommodation.
Lack of affordable housing and expensive higher education pushes women into the sex trade.
The branding myth that being bought for sex is just “sex work” normalises it in the eyes of the society, but it does not spare women from harm and trauma.
While Labor and the Greens policy support the Tasmanian Council of Civil Liberties push for a Human Rights Charter nowhere in this charter is support for provisions concerning prostitution contained in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women – CEDAW.
Labor and Greens policy would see open slather brothel development in Tasmania and a free market in sexploitation of girls and women’s bodies at a time when violence to girls and women is on the increase and protections and services for girls and women are coming under increased pressure.
The Liberals remain silent on the issue and are reluctant to open up further discussion on Stop Demand laws.
And, just like all those countries that have decriminalised pimps, profiteers and sex buyers, Labor and the Greens would see Tasmania opening the doors sex trafficking and more harms to girls and women.
It’s time that candidates in this election have the courage to speak out and oppose the commodification and sexualisation of girls and women and commit to supporting Stop Demand laws if elected to the parliament.
*Joanna Pinkiewicz is an independent activist. She joined the Normac team to work as a resercher and amplify the voices of survivours of prostitution. She works to promote the Nordic Model in Australia and campaigns for exit programs for women in prostitution.
