Let's Talk About... Sex Work

The episode discusses sex workers' rights and how to make a difference. It questions the criminalization approach in the US and argues that sex workers are not hardcore criminals. It compares the mistreatment of sex workers to the injustices faced by racial minorities. It suggests that sex workers can be considered a minority group due to oppression and discrimination. It highlights the high rates of violence experienced by sex workers and the lack of response from the police. It explains that sex workers may not have a choice due to various factors, such as abuse and exploitation. It introduces the Nordic or equality model, which punishes buyers and provides resources for sex workers to exit the trade. It acknowledges the flaws of the model but emphasizes the importance of bringing marginalized voices to the forefront. It encourages discussions and political actions to solve the problem and give attention to the experiences of sex workers. Warning, this episode discusses topics that may be upsetting to some viewers. Viewer discretion advised. Hello everyone, welcome back to Let's Talk About It. I'm your host, Jolie, and today we'll be talking about sex workers' rights and how we can make a difference. So, without further ado, let's talk about it. So, to start off this discussion, let's all get on the same page about the climate of sex work in America. As of today, the U.S. practices the criminalization approach, which basically means that everyone, from the sex worker to the buyer, can and will be held legally responsible for their actions and be locked up. Now, I know you're probably sitting there thinking to yourself, okay, and? What's the problem with that? Well, I'll tell you. I'm not saying a criminal shouldn't be held responsible for their crimes. What I'm saying is, are sex workers really criminals? I mean, think about it. Vulnerable people who are mostly women or trans women, some of whom have been introduced to the sex trade since they were young, impressionable minors that then are bought and sold to majority men who then use their bodies for their own sexual pleasure. That doesn't seem like a hardcore criminal to me. And even if they were, does that excuse the cruelty that they face? Could it be that within the climate of our country that we've been conditioned to look down on those who don't fit our societal expectations of the norm and often punish them for it? Let's connect this back to other groups who are perceived as different. One that instantly comes to mind is the injustices against racial minorities. They were enslaved, ostracized, raped, beaten, and even killed. And keep in mind, you may be cringing now, but there was a time in our history where this was acceptable and normal behavior. But as younger generations emerged, we began to realize this is not okay. So we pushed back. We said no to the injustices. We protested. We created movements to help amplify our voices. And those courageous efforts eventually created change and implemented laws like the Civil Rights Act. Okay, okay. Slow down a minute. Although this is true, sex workers aren't a minority group. Oh, well, aren't they? According to the APA, a minority group is any group that is subject to oppression and discrimination. Oppression, which is a lack of power, and discrimination, which is unequal treatment. So from our research, we know that female sex workers have a lifetime prevalence of experiencing violence ranging from 45 to 75%, which is an incredibly high rate, by the way. We also know that when sex workers try to report these crimes to the police, it is often not registered as an offense by the police, and in some cases are perpetrated by them, which ingrains a deep mistrust of law enforcement. Now, I don't know about you, but this is starting to sound a little familiar. All right. So maybe they can be considered a minority group. But hold on. They have a choice. They don't have to be a sex worker. Well, sure. Maybe that's true. But also, maybe it's not. Ever heard of battered wife syndrome? Or wondered why people in abusive relationships stay with their partners instead of running for the hills? Or even why you yourself keep making decisions that you know are harmful for you? Well, these attitudes are similar to those of sex workers in the system. In an interview with MSNBC's Seema Iyer, Rachel Moran, a formal sex worker who is now an activist and author, explained this concept best. It's that women who are currently being exploited in prostitution take a very different view from women who've managed to extricate themselves. And I think that that's only common sense. If you look at, like, compare this to some other form of abuse, like domestic violence, for example, you're going to hear a different story from a woman who has gotten out of a domestic violence situation. Then you're going to hear from the same woman if she's still being battered up and down the house. So as Moran just reiterated, sex workers who are currently in the sex ring have a different mindset than those who got out. Just like how you were in that toxic relationship that you couldn't see was bad for you until afterwards, or how slaves in the U.S. didn't revolt against their masters even though they severely outnumbered them. Okay, now you are armed with this fresh new perspective and can hopefully deduce that your previous conceptions of sex workers were flawed, or at the very least, start to question why they are so mistreated and what we can do to fix it. Well, I'll tell you this. This issue is incredibly complex, like any good problem worth solving. It can get a little messy, so I'll be talking only about one kind of quote-unquote solution. But I implore you to conduct your own research and see the other models that are out there. But for now, let's talk a little bit about the Nordic or equality model. The equality model basically states that buyers of sexual services and those who exploit sex workers, such as brothel owners and pimps, will be punished instead of sex workers themselves. This idea also provides resources to sex workers so that they can escape the sex trade. Okay, so why endorse this model? Well, like I said, criminalization, our current model, persecutes the sex worker and buyers. But as we just discussed, the sex workers were the subject being treated like criminals. So with the Nordic model, we tried to reframe the picture to focus mainly on the buyers and brothel owners to discourage them from consuming and producing the service. If we do that, then over time, we can curb the demand of the service while also providing support for sex workers. Now, those are some pretty big positives, but every plan has its flaws. You see, a portion of the equality model is to ensure that sex workers have access to resources called exit services that provide medical, mental health, housing, and rehabilitation services. If those are not in place or not made accessible, then we've further isolated sex workers and have put them in more dangerous situations than they were before. And since this model punishes buyers, it may interfere with the safeguard sex workers already have in place to vet their clients. Because, of course, the buyer doesn't want to get caught, so this may rush the process and in turn lead to violence towards the sex worker. But like I said, this plan has its flaws, but if executed correctly, it could have a huge positive impact on the treatment of sex workers. The idea that the punishment will fall on the buyer alone may deter others from participating in the act. And yes, we know that it will not eradicate sex services altogether, but that's not the point of the story. We're trying to emphasize the importance of bringing these marginalized voices to the center of the issue so that their stories and experiences can be heard. It's important for our local government and upcoming politicians to hear this message so that they can take their stories in the political arena. My challenge to them is to start having these discussions in political settings and talk about laws that we can implement to solve this problem regardless of our political station or party. Let's try to understand that these are people too and not let them continue to slip through the cracks like so many other minority groups before them. With enough attention and discussion, we can push this idea up the political ladder and hopefully see something come from it. I'm your host, Jolie, and thank you for listening to this episode of Let's Talk About It. If you want to learn more about the topics we discussed today, take a look at the links in the description below. And feel free to leave comments about any questions or opinions you have on the subject, because remember, the only way to evoke change is to talk about it. See you next time. Let's Talk About It