I think the author’s point is that the way sex workers are treated in general made her experience much more complicated because she was presented with this narrative that sex workers can’t be raped, therefore it didn’t even occur to her that she may have been sexually assaulted: “I believed, at the time I sold sex,…

I think the author is treating it like the nuanced issue it is. Though she has the right to view it as rape/sexual assault if she feels that describes it accurately, because of conditional consent.

Well that’s interesting, because I definitely have (throughout the UK, everywhere I’ve been in the US, Singapore, Australia etc). But rather than bringing it up where it has no relevance and blaming the people of those countries for decisions made by their governments without their consent, I acknowledge their…

Oh gods, almost forgot that for a second! Sorry :( I’ll go back to letting these people rescue me from myself.

I mean, I accept that I occupy a privileged position within the sex industry, worldwide and in NZ. My experience is not the only experience, it’s not the majority experience for workers worldwide.

New Zealand women don’t need rescuing, thanks very much. We acknowledge the (extensive) issues our country has and we’re working to fix them, as well as the surrounding infrastructure.

Well seeing as we have two women at my agency who are well into their fifties and they have no shortage of clients, I’m not too worried about that :) And if I ever decide to move on, then I’ll put my two degrees into use in sex work advocacy, or couples/sex counselling. Maybe I’ll even work for the PC, who knows.

I don’t remember saying anything about NZ being free of misogyny, or a particularly safe environment to be a woman in general? I do know that if I had to choose anywhere in the world to be in the sex industry, it would be here. You obviously didn’t spend much time in Wellington - or at least, whatever time you spent…

Hi! I’m not insane, brainwashed or low in self-esteem. And while I think you’d struggle to find a job where money ISN’T part of the appeal (the point of having a job is paying the bills, no?), I chose sex work because here in NZ it’s safe, regulated, and most importantly? I get to choose my own work schedule to fit…

I do not sell myself. I do not sell my body. Don’t try and victimise me without my consent. Trafficking and child rap are not sex work, they are a heinous crime. I (as a FSSW) know many, MANY sex workers who are not white and/or not a woman, and plenty of trans sex workers as well.

Oh I definitely agree, decrim requires an appropriate framework around it!

I think a lot of people are confusing pimping and sex work. Pimping is not sex work. Pimping is exploitation. The problem is, under criminalisation and the Nordic model, ‘pimp’ becomes a catch-all term for sex workers’ flatmates, anyone who helps them organise work, people who drive them to appointments etc. I work in…

There is a big difference between legalisation and decriminalisation.

The Amnesty proposal actually addresses all your concerns, if you read through the full text that was put up for discussion. ‘Coming out stronger’ against ‘pimps’ (a loaded term which can be used to describe anyone from room mates to madams to someone giving a wroker rides to appointments) means making it impossible…

Prostitution/sex work is a transaction between two adults. Anything involving children is trafficking and rape. Amnesty International is very clear on this.

I don’t ‘sell my body’, I sell a service. Because I want to. Others are less fortunate, but Amnesty’s position would help them too.

This. All of the this.

The Nordic model deprives sex workers of a safe place to work (because it criminalises anyone providing a place for the work to take place) and also discourages them from reporting punters to the police for fear of losing work. Quotes from workers under the Nordic model in Norway:

She was not right to sign it. Nordic Model Decrim is just as harmful to ALL workers as criminalisation is.

Thank you.