2014
DOI: 10.1177/1748895814523024
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A decade of decriminalization: Sex work ‘down under’ but not underground

Abstract: New Zealand was the first country to decriminalize sex work. This article provides a reflective commentary on decriminalization, its implementation and its impacts in New Zealand. New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective (NZPC) was the key player in getting decriminalization on the policy agenda and their effective networking played an essential role to the successful campaign for legislative change. There were contentious clauses within the Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) which were of concern to NZPC and others. Ho… Show more

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Cited by 99 publications
(92 citation statements)
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References 29 publications
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“…Reform is required which enables sex workers to work together, which provides a framework within which sex work is recognized as labour, so employment, health and safety protections available to other workers are open to sex workers (Vanwesenbeeck ). Rather than a legalized system where premises are licensed by the state, we argue decriminalization offers the best framework to tackle the issues of sex worker safety and rights, including access to protection from violence and other crimes (Armstrong ) to provide a base from which to challenge stigma and discrimination and to begin to address labour rights (Abel ). Under a decriminalized framework, police would be directed to work in the areas of greatest need, rather than implementing laws from the 1950s which are not fit for purpose in the modern day commercial sex era.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Reform is required which enables sex workers to work together, which provides a framework within which sex work is recognized as labour, so employment, health and safety protections available to other workers are open to sex workers (Vanwesenbeeck ). Rather than a legalized system where premises are licensed by the state, we argue decriminalization offers the best framework to tackle the issues of sex worker safety and rights, including access to protection from violence and other crimes (Armstrong ) to provide a base from which to challenge stigma and discrimination and to begin to address labour rights (Abel ). Under a decriminalized framework, police would be directed to work in the areas of greatest need, rather than implementing laws from the 1950s which are not fit for purpose in the modern day commercial sex era.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Longitudinal evidence shows the PRA has been effective at increasing the health and safety of workers. At the same time, the number of workers has not increased (Abel 2011;2014a;2014b).…”
Section: National Policy Approaches To Regulating Prostitutionmentioning
confidence: 96%
“…11 12 In New Zealand sex workers now report being more able to refuse clients and to insist on condom use, amid better relations with managers and the police. 13 We urge the committee to consider this international evidence and emerging data from the UK in recommending a broader legal framework, but legislative change alone is not enough. Decriminalisation is likely to be a crucial step towards improving sex workers' health and safety.…”
Section: International Evidencementioning
confidence: 99%