DECRIMNOW is leading a coalition of charities and NGOs, trade unions, civil society organisations, academics, politicians, journalists, grassroots activists and more, asking UK MPs to stand up against continuing attempts to introduce Nordic model legislation into Parliament.
DECRIMNOW, a collective of sex workers, organisers and allies in the DC meet area, has published an open letter. The collective believes that decriminalisation of sex work makes people safer. Their thoughts on the ‘Nordic Model’ are that it endangers sex workers and does nothing to help victims. Amongst the list of signees are FKA twigs, Amnesty International, and Sisters Uncut.
FKA twigs
Last year, twigs launched an initiative which aimed to suppor sex workers during the pandemic. She also used her social media as a platform for sex worker-led organisations. FKA twigs explains,
“There’s a bigger journey in challenging public attitudes, tackling stigma and fighting for rights and protections.”
Source: Dazed
Sex workers have been fighting for internet freedom and their livelihood via new laws which regulate online content.
The Nordic Model
The term ‘The Nordic Model’ describes the criminalisation of sex work under a broader ideological framework which considers it to be violent. The model aims to eradicate sex work both short term via criminalisation and fines for buying sex. In the long term, it aims to create an understanding of sex work as inherently harmful to both the individual and society itself.
The Open Letter
Headed by the UK campaign group DECRIMNOW, the open letter addresses legislation which criminalises the purchase of sex. Additionally, it encourages politicians to take a factually-based approach to the sex industry and requests a more considered attitude toward sex workers. Repeated attempts have been made to criminalise paying for sex in the UK. However, Dazed explains that The Nordic Model does nothing to protect the groups which it claims to protect.
“Evidence shows that the Nordic Model does nothing for the very groups it claims to protect,” the letter states, citing a sharp increase in violence against sex workers after similar legislation was introduced in the Republic of Ireland in 2017. In 2018, the non-profit initiative Ugly Mugs Ireland reported that violent crime against sex workers went up 77 per cent after the ruling came into effect.
Source: Dazed
Read the full letter here.
Desiree Robinson
In 2018, Desiree Robinson was found dead. She was the victim of human trafficking via a backpage in the U.S. Senator Rob Portman led he consequent campaign, Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA). Backed by many celebrities, the list included Amy Schumer and Seth Meyer.
FOSTA
Since, this has led to a change in American laws concerning sex work and liability. This is thanks to a bill called the “Fight On-line Sex Trafficking Act” (FOSTA). FOSTA ensures that posting or hosting online “prostitution” is a federal crime. In March of 2018, a bill called the Stop Enabling Sex-Trafficking Act (SESTA) passed in combination with FOSTA, meaning websites can be held liable for what their users say and do on their platforms. The bill was signed by Donald Trump in 2018.
“President Donald Trump has signed the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA), a bill that aims to fight sex trafficking by reducing legal protections for online platforms. FOSTA passed the Senate in March by an overwhelming majority, and it’s been endorsed by the Internet Association, which represents major companies like Facebook and Google. But privacy and civil liberties advocates say it’s a fatally flawed bill that would hurt small online communities, and sex workers say it will make them less safe by driving them offline.”
Soure: The Verge
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