A former intercourse employee has informed a Holyrood committee that Scotland must “put the not for sale sign out” and move new legal guidelines on prostitution.
Diane Martin was giving proof to the Legal Justice Committee on Wednesday to help proposals put ahead by Alba MSP Ash Regan which, if handed, might see these convicted of shopping for intercourse fined as much as £10,000 or face jail.
The Prostitution (Offences and Assist) (Scotland) Invoice goals to criminalise these shopping for intercourse, whereas decriminalising these promoting it.
Ms Martin informed the committee, which is scrutinising the invoice, she had beforehand labored in London at “the supposed highest end of prostitution”.
Nonetheless, she mentioned: “It is no different if you are in a five-star hotel or in an alley.”
She urged the MSPs to again the proposal, telling them: “We think of ourselves as a progressive country, and we need to put the not for sale sign out.”
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The invoice has been proposed by Alba MSP Ash Regan. Pic: AP
One other ex-sex employee, Amanda Jane Fast, mentioned criminalising these shopping for intercourse would act as a “deterrent” and will due to this fact “reduce demand and reduce violence”.
She recounted her experiences working each on the streets and in a brothel.
Ms Fast mentioned she was raped on the age of 18 by a consumer in a brothel, and in addition informed how when she grew to become pregnant and tried to depart, she was inspired to remain as “men liked young pregnant women” and due to this fact would have the option to make more cash.
Ms Fast, who now campaigns for the introduction of the so-called Nordic mannequin, the place promoting intercourse is decriminalised however its buy is made a prison act, mentioned promoting intercourse “can never be made safe”.
She informed the committee such work “will always be underground, because the men and women who sell don’t want anybody really to find out”.
Ms Fast mentioned prostitution “thrives on silence and thrives on violence”, including: “When I sold sex I was also selling silence and secrets, not just my body.”
She mentioned the proposals outlined within the invoice would assist “change the thoughts and attitudes and beliefs of society”.
Bronagh Andrew, operations supervisor for Trafficking Consciousness Elevating Alliance (TARA), mentioned: “There needs to be a very strong message sent out to civic society that paying for sex causes harm to a significant number of women.
“It’s overwhelmingly males which can be those paying for intercourse, and it’s overwhelmingly girls who’re promoting intercourse.
“That needs to be understood better and a clear message going out saying ‘this is not a harmless activity, this does cause harm to women and society in general’.”
Different campaigners warned the laws might depart intercourse employees at an elevated threat of violence.
Laura Baillie of Scotland for Decrim – which needs intercourse work to be absolutely decriminalised – informed the committee the group “strongly oppose” the invoice, saying: “It does increase the likelihood of violence against sex workers.
“It places them in additional hazard as a result of it limits their capability to conduct security checks resembling asking for ID or offering a deposit so there’s a document of a monetary transaction.”
She went on to say an app which is a “very important lifeline for a lot of intercourse employees”, allowing them to warn each other of clients who are violent or abusive, may not be able to continue if the law is changed because it could be “seen as facilitating against the law”.
Niki Adams of the English Collective of Prostitutes additionally mentioned criminalising those that purchase intercourse would “endanger sex workers and push us underground”.
She mentioned: “There is no evidence it reduces prostitution.
“We actually really feel that the largest flaw of this invoice is it doesn’t handle the poverty, homelessness, lack of pay fairness, costly childcare and lots of the different causes that push girls particularly and moms particularly into intercourse work.
“We agree with the aim, ultimately, of trying to reduce prostitution, because we think women should have the option to leave if they want to.
“However we don’t perceive why the main focus shouldn’t be on ending girls’s poverty.”
