How the Swedish Anti-Prostitution Legislation Harms Sex Workers

Sweden’s government has often led the way in progressive social justice legislation, but not with anti-prostitution laws. On the surface these policies may seem progressive. After all, they break through the double-standard in which sex workers (who are largely women) are more likely to be arrested than clients (who are largely men). The legislation criminalizes the clients, but not the sex workers. So what’s wrong with this legislation?

If gender double-standards were the only problem with anti-prostitution laws, then there would be nothing wrong. However, there’s a lot more wrong with anti-prostitution laws and it’s important to look beyond the surface.

Sweden’s anti-prostitution policies have received praise from various anti-sex work feminists, politicians, and others. Yet, various Swedish sex workers have  expressed very different feelings about this legislation. Rather than just jumping on the bandwagon in support of the Swedish model, Petra Ostergren spoke with Swedish sex workers about this and listened to their concerns. Despite the fact that this legislation was “supposed” to protect them, Swedish sex workers reported the opposite. They reported that their work became more dangerous after this legislation passed and that they have less agency and control over their working conditions. For example, they reported a higher percentage of clients demanding unsafe sex acts and less agency to turn down such clients. Sex workers also reported that criminalizing the clients made hindered their ability to screen them, thus further jeopardizing the sex workers’ safety.  Here’s a link to Ostergren’s report: http://petraostergren.com/pages.aspx?r_id=40716

Additionally and relatedly, this legislation is very pateralistic, so it’s interesting that some people who identify as feminists would support it. It totally infantalizes women in prostitution, treating us like we’re all incapable of making decisions for what we do with our own bodies. This is very disappointing, especially from a country’s that’s often so progressive. I would expect better from the Swedish government.

This is exemplifies how paternalistic legislation under the guise of protecting women further endangers us. (I’m not Swedish, but use the term “us” because I’m a woman and a sex worker). I realize that not all sex workers are women, but I use the term “women” because the language in the legislation targets women in prostitution as victims, without recognizing the multiple realities that exist in prostitution and how legislation such as this increases the likelihood of victimization. Though I don’t like to impose the victim label onto sex workers, various Swedish sex workers seem to feel that the legislation victimizes them more than sex work does.

Decriminalization of consensual sex acts whether for free or for payment is the way to go, so sex workers aren’t criminalized just for being sex workers and clients aren’t criminalized just for being clients.  The abuses and violence that sometimes occur inside and outside of prostitution would still be illegal.  To criminalize somebody just for paying for sex makes as little sense as criminalizing somebody just for having sex for free.  Though this may seem overly simplistic, it is this simple when we look at anti-prostitution laws.  Just like I find it problematic to overly simplify complex concepts, I also find it problematic to make concepts more complicated than they need to be.  Though there are a lot of complexities in prostitution, legally speaking, the only think that differtiates prostitution from non prostitution is the exchange of payment for sex. 

Here’s additional info. about the Swedish model:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11437499

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11437499

So, if you think the Swedish model is progressive, think again…

Slut Walk Las Vegas Sept. 10, 2011

Slut Walk events have been occuring in various cities, expressing the message that nobody deserves to be sexually assaulted or raped no matter how sexual we are.  In other words, nobody is ‘asking for it’.   I also love how Slut Walk focuses on redefining the term “slut” positively.

The next Slut Walk event I know of is happening in Las Vegas!  It will begin on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Erotic Heritage Museum.  Here’s a link to the Slut Walk Las Vegas Facebook page for more info.:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002852577056&sk=info#!/event.php?eid=216034345112040 .

Cloth Sanitary Napkins Rock!

The first time I attended the “Vagina Monologues”, I noticed a flier advertising “Luna Pads”. Being curious, I picked it up and read about them, and this was how I first learned about cloth sanitary napkins. I’ve heard of cloth diapers before, but not cloth maxi pads.
So, I went to Luna Pad’s website plus Googled in “Cloth Sanitary Napkins” or “Cloth Maxi Pads” for more information and to learn about what’s out there. I ordered some from a woman who makes them in a pack of five.
I’ve had them for about two years and these cloth sanitary napkins could be among the best inventions ever! They’re very soft and comfy, and have really cool designs. They’re also very eco-conscious, as I just wash them when I would do my laundry anyway and don’t have to throw them away after each use like with disposable maxi pads. There are flaps that I snap together and they stay in place except with thongs, but I don’t recommend thongs with any maxi pad.
Another really good device to use for menstruation are sponges, such as sea sponges, cosmetic sponges, or household sponges. However, if they’re shoved too deep up there, it could take a while to get them out, so I recommend making them big enough so you can reach them and pull them out.  I learned about this from another sex worker at a legal Nevada brothel. (Sex work is such an education in various ways.) They absorb really well and I can also wash and resuse these when I do my regular laundry. They come out of the laundry like new, without any stain at all.

Newsweek Article Bashing Sex Work Clients

Here’s a link to a Newsweek article titled “The John Next Door”: http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/07/17/the-growing-demand-for-prostitution.html.  Below the article is a “Comments” section where readers can post comments.  There were multiple pages of comments posted, but now only the most recent page of comments is showing, which is very disturbing considering that there were so many excellent, insightful comments that now aren’t visible.  Yet, some on the most recent page are still really good.

I’m providing a forum here where people can continue the discussion  and the comments will stay up provided that they are constructive.  People with different points of view may post here as I don’t like to censor, but I don’t allow any forms of slander, hate speech, or trolling. 

Here’s my input on the article.  First, it’s very overgeneralized and I get so sick of people bashing all of our clients.  The claim in this article that men who don’t pay for sex are more respectful toward women than men who do is inconsistent with my experiences. When men continue to hit on me for free when I make it clear that I just want to be alone and am not interested in being hit on, that’s degrading. I don’t find it degarading when my clients compensate me for my time, skills, and talents; respect my boundaries; and don’t try to make our relationship into more than what it is.

Though I can’t speak for every sex worker, the vast majority of my clients in the legal brothels have been very respectful, sometimes more respectful toward me than people I meet outside of sex work. I realize that there are abusive and disrespectful clients. Yet, I also realize there are abusive and disrespectful spouses and intimate partners outside of sex work.  Of course, not all are abusive and some are very kind and caring. Thus, villifying all clients of sex workers makes as little sense as villifying all spouses and intimate partners outside of sex work.

 I also found the language in the article implying that our clients “buy” us to be extremely offensive.  My clients don’t “buy” me. Rather, they pay me for work. My body still belongs to me and when I leave my sessions with clients, I still have it attached to me. Thus, I’m not “selling my body”.
It’s interesting how some of the same people who complain about how prostitution is so degrading are promoting degrading attitudes against us themselves.

Documentary about Feminist Pornography

Has anybody seen the documentary titled “ Hot and Bothered: Feminist Pornography?”  I haven’t seen the documentary yet, but I’d really like to.  Here’s a link to more information: www.feministpornography.com .

Support Decriminalization of Prostitution at El Rio in SF Sept. 5, 2008

Please come to the benefit for Proposition K on the November ballot (decriminalize sex work).  This is a matter of worker’s rights. 

 

Lined up against us is the Republican Party and Pacific Gas and Electric (your utility payments at work thanks to the Public Utilities Commission and Gavin!).

 

With us is the Democratic Party, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, Jeff Adachi, every supervisor except Alioto-Pier, feminists all over the globe, the legal community, and thinking people everywhere.

 

KEEP THE GOV OUT OF YOUR BEDROOM!  SUPPORT WORKERS!  SUPPORT CHOICE FOR WOMEN!

 

TONIGHT (SEPT. 5) AT EL RIO!  

3158 MISSION. 

9:00 P.M 

Anti-Sex Work “Feminist” Hypocracy

I’ll start by saying that there are feminists who are very supportive of sex workers rights, but unfortunately, not all feminists are.  Some anti-sex work “feminists” refuse differentiate between consensual and forced prostitution, even though this does nothing to decrease forced labor or help people who really are victims of forced labor in the sex industry or any other industry.  This attitude promotes partrichacy and sexism, which I thought feminism was against. By denying that sex work can be consensual, these “feminists” deny the right to consent.  They are promoting the partriarchal, condescending attitude that women are incapable of making conscious decisions just because we do sex work.   I realize that people of various genders work in the sex industry, but I’m specifying women because these “feminists” emphasize how sex work is oppressive to women, while simultaeously  expressing oppressive attitudes toward women in sex work by denying out right to consent.  What hypocracy!

I support the right to work in the sex industry, the right not to work in the sex industry, and the right to exit the sex industry without being denied other jobs because prostitution is criminalized and on a person’s criminal record.