Sex worker ‘terrified’ by plans for new prostitution law

At 17, Alice (not his real name) was fired from his work in a call center.

The environment of his home was difficult. She had no CV and few employment options.

A friend had been involved in sex work and had earned a lot of money. “Alice decided to follow a similar path.

Now in his 30 years, he is still involved in sex work, he thought he balances it with other job opportunities.

But Alice believes that a potential change in the law in Scotland will make it “terribly” insecure.

Alba MSP Ash Regan is presenting a bill that would make it a crime to pay for sexual services. It is an approach or refers to the “Nordic model”.

The former SNP leadership candidate argues that challenging the demand for the prostitution of men will help protect women.

Regan says that “buying sexual access to a human being is a form of male violence”, and is determined to see the reformed law.

As things are currently, paying for sex is not illegal in Scotland.

But some activities that are sometimes connected, such as executing a brothel, vice versa in a public place to buy or sell sex or persuade some to assume prostitution, are against law.

Regan also wants to see the women involved in the sale of sex that offers “output alternatives” and a legal right to support. And Shey to see any previous conviction for the repealed explanation.

But these proposals have divided those who want to keep sex workers safe.

Alice explains that the Internet has changed the panorama of what she calls “full -service sex workers” (people who exchange sex for money).

She says that there are now more opportunities for those who sell sex to “detect” potential clients.

This may imply asking for a photo identification before meeting a client, asking for a link to their social networks or even requesting references from other sex workers.

It is not a failure proof process, but it can help verify that white people are the ones who claim to be.

But he is concerned about the potential change in the law in Scotland.

Most of Alice’s concern around the bill revolves around security. She insists that “there is a difference between good customers and bad customers.”

If buying sex is criminalized, then fears that “good customers” disappear and “will stay with people who do not care about you, since they don’t mind violating the law.”

“I suppose that anyone who does not mind breaking the law is more likely to be dangerous,” she says.

He is concerned that a change in the law will make the detection of customers difficult, since anyone who is still willing to buy sex is not willing to share their details.

Alice argues that all these factors are combined to mean that Ash Regan’s proposals would make it “terribly” less safe.

“My body would become a crime scene, right? So why would I go to the police? I would like to go to the police now,” she says.

Alice believes that greater decriminalization is what would finally make her safer, providing her more protections and allowing a better relationship with the police.

But Regan’s proposal is to sacrifice a route out of sex work for some like Alice. Is that a perspective that attracts you?

Alice is skeptical.

She thinks that this sounds like exchanging sex work for a minimum salary work, which says “does not really change why people end up choosing to do sex work in the first place.”

Ash Regan is not willing to tolerance to status quo.

She argues that it is fundamentally “an exploitation and violence system” that affects the most vulnerable women of society.

Alba MSP describes its bill as “a deviation from the failed approach to the decriminalization of sex trade without addressing the root cause and consequences of human beings that are marketed: demand.”

The most effective way to do this, he argues, is to criminalize those who pay sex.

She promised “to face the injustice of commercial sexual exploitation.” And she has the support of several groups of women in doing so.

However, there is also a campaign that is specifically established to oppose their proposals, with sex workers stressing security groups.

The debate on how to legislate regarding sex sale is contentious.

Even the term “sexual worker” is rejected by some, including Regan.

All this stands out how sensitive this debate could be, with different camps, passionately believing that your own approach is correct.

And each person involved in this world will have their own unique history and their set of circumstances.

It is strange to have something like Alice willing to do an interview and speak so frankly, but she does not talk about the fabric or each sex worker in Scotland.

Regan has the support of other people who have been previously involved in sex work.

If your bill became law, Scotland would not be the first place in the United Kingdom to criminalize the purchase of sex.

He has a crime to pay sex in Northern Ireland since 2015.

An independent review of 2019 of the University of Queen’s Belfast discovered that the law did not seem to have the desired effect.

Despite a tight of the law, sex workers reported a greater demand for their services and discovered that more sex workers published online.

The researchers added that sex workers felt “even more marginalized and stigmatized.”

The report concluded that the change in Northern Ireland law had a “minimum effect on the demand for sexual services.”

But there are those, such as Ash Regan, who believe that the reform can cancel the demand, make women safer and provide alternative employment opportunities.

This debate may finally not go anywhere in the predictable future.

With a Scottish election that is due in 2026, the bills that do not complete their parliamentary trip within that period will fall on the roads.

The opposition to this bill remains. And the MSP now will have to think where they are on this subject, if they no longer.

His greatest obstacle could be time.