Sex Work in New Zealand: The Re-Importation of Moral Majoritarianism in Regulating a Decriminalized Industry

Abstract

En 2003, la Nouvelle-Zélande est devenue le seul pays au monde à dépénaliser tous les aspects de la prostitution non forcée. La réforme du droit annonçait un changement radical. En effet, au lieu d'essayer de réprimer l'industrie en criminalisant les personnes qui y participaient, l'objectif de la Prostitution Reform Act était de s'assurer que les droits fondamentaux des travailleuses du sexe soient préservés. Cependant, cette expérience sociale controversée n'a fait que souligner le conflit profond entre les idéaux de la participation du public aux processus décisionnels et l'obligation de protéger les droits d'une minorité impopulaire. Le présent article examine cette dichotomie. Les militants les plus surannés de la démocratie locale, des règlements municipaux et des contrôles de planification urbaine ont permis à la réprobation morale de continuer sa domination, portant ainsi atteinte aux droits des travailleuses du sexe. De plus, en raison de critères discrétionnaires propres aux contrôles judiciaires, le droit administratif n'a pas fourni les protections nécessaires. Le présent article répond à Emily van der Meulen et Elya Durisin et encourage les réformateurs axés sur les droits individuels d'avancer avec prudence. Pour être vraiment efficace, il faudrait veiller à ce que toute loi axée sur les droits ne laisse pas l'indignation morale des collectivités locales menacer, par les voies réglementaires, le bien-être et la sécurité des prostituées, risquant ainsi la création d'une industrie clandestine de deuxième ordre.

A decade of decriminalization: Sex work ‘down under’ but not underground

“…The way is left open for individual interpretations and values to subvert the intentions of legislation if implementation is left to local authorities with no checks in place and this is something Canada needs to attend to with their recent change in legislation. Although, as Warnock and Wheen (2012: 417) argue, some fingers can be pointed at the implementation of the PRA, most notably with regard to bylaws on location of brothels, I think that they are overstating the case that ‘New Zealand law reform of sex work has been disingenuous’. Many sex worker rights activists and academics have visited New Zealand in recent years.…”

“…This is not to say that Territorial Authorities have not tried to implement restrictive bylaws. Warnock and Wheen (2012: 416) have claimed that Territorial Authorities have ‘heavily regulated’ brothels and pushed them into ‘marginal areas’ and in so doing have put the health and safety of sex workers under threat. Some Territorial Authorities have made bylaws restricting brothels to the central business district, however to call these areas ‘marginal’ is misrepresenting the situation.…”

Changing Minds and Changing Laws: How New Zealand Sex Workers and Their Allies Shaped Decriminalisation in New Zealand

“…Warnock and Wheen claim that amendments to the PRA demonstrated the “reassertion of legal moralism in the control of sex work. In practical terms, brothels became heavily regulated and were pushed into marginal areas primarily because public submitters were opposed to sex work per se” (Warnock & Wheen, 2012 , p.416). These and other fault lines in the PRA expose the unsatisfactory nature of using terms like legalisation and decriminalisation as policy descriptors when according to Östergren “there is no consensus on what exactly is meant by each term or on what basis is it used.…”

The Proposed Re-introduction of Policing and Crime into the Regulation of Brothels in New South Wales

“…In 1995, New South Walq^ ('NSW') deeriminalised brothels and permitted them to operate as legiiimate businesses regulated by local councils using Iheir planning powers. Despite more than 20 years since decriminalisaiion and widespread support by sex workers, academic literature, grassroots organisations and health practitioners, there remains an urge by some to heavily regulate the sex industry, in part due 10 continued perceptions of commercial the sex industry as inherently criminal and/or moral concerns (Warnock and Wheen 2012), This urge is reflected in the recently submitted report to the NSW Governmeni from the Select Committee on the Regulation of Brothels (2015). The Coinmiltee was appointed by the Minisier for Innovation and Better Regulation to inquire into the regulation of brothels in NSSW, delivering on the 2015 election coinmiiment by the Baird Governmenito establish a parliamentary inquiry into Ihe regulation of brothels.…”