Stop lying. Sex industry abolitionists do not want to criminalise the people who are exploited and abused in the sex industry. It is those who do the exploiting and abusing that should be criminalised. It’s pathetic how you pro-porn types always make up lies about abolitionists so you can feel better about supporting the continued rape and brutalisation of people who, let’s be real, are mostly women and girls.
And we DO listen to women who are and have been in the industry because we have enough respect not to call them “sex workers.” Again, stop lying.
Rachel Moran, survivor of prostitution (Full gif set and video link here)
Cherry Smiley of the Aboriginal Women’s Action Network (Full gif set and video link here)
Shelley Lubben, survivor of pornography (Full gif set and video link here)
Rachel Moran speaking at FemiFest 2014 (Full gif set and video link here)
“We know, though our lived experience, that the vast majority of women in prostitution are impoverished and are in prostitution for exactly that reason; and we also know, through our lived experience, that it is simply a cruelty for any government to introduce legislation that limits the ability of a woman in prostitution to earn a living without simultaneously offering her a way out.
We thus strongly feel that prostitution can only be tackled by a strategy that recognises equally the need to suppress the demand for paid sex while offering women viable alternatives to providing it. Too often, groups that concern themselves with this issue overlook either one root cause or the other. We pledge to bear witness to governments that they must suppress demand by criminalising it, and equally that they must address the shortage of living-wage opportunities for individuals in the sex trade, and that both these aspects are equally important in the fight against commercial sexual exploitation.”
– SPACE International, an organisation of prostitution survivors committed to raising awareness about the violent reality of prostitution and lobbying governments to do the right thing
EVE’s position is that neither full decriminalization or legalization (see definitions below) will do anything to quell the rising demand for paid sexual access to the bodies of women and children. Endorsing the sale of those who are already marginalized by race, sex, class, and economic status is not a progressive option.
Legalization and full decriminalization are illusions of safety for prostituted women, who experience physical, sexual, and psychological violence both indoors and outdoors. Pimps and traffickers, however, would benefit immensely from legalized or fully decriminalized systems it would offer them a safe space to sell women.
Brothels do nothing more than move abuse indoors and give all the complex systemic issues involved with prostitution a place to hide. The most vulnerable women among us would be abandoned as they could not meet the criteria to “work” in legal brothels due to circumstances such as addiction and poor physical and mental health.
EVE is calling on our government to stand up for women’s equality by saying NO to the form of male sexual violence that is prostitution and criminalizing the demand for paid sex (johns), pimping, procuring and trafficking while de-criminalizing those who are sold for sex. We are calling our government to stand up to the elements of organized crime that are involved in prostitution by criminalizing pimping, procuring and sex trafficking.
EVE would like to see LONG term rehabilitation for those exiting prostitution, provided by agencies that support the abolition of prostitution.
EVE thinks that a country as rich in resources as Canada needs to provide a Guaranteed Liveable Income for those in need, particularly for women with dependents.
EVE believes in order to keep our sisters safe and to encourage healthy and positive sexual relations that allow our women to live with dignity and as equals the following MUST happen:
Criminalization of the male demand for paid sex, pimping, trafficking and procuring.
De-criminalization of the prostituted.
We must NOT open brothels and move the abuse indoors. This would be a gift to pimps and traffickers to have a safe space to house the sold.
Prostituted women must have immediate access to women only detox & long term recovery beds.
A country as rich in resources as Canada must offer guaranteed liveable income for women and their children, as well as others.
Offer resources that allow women to keep their children rather than condemning women for doing their best by apprehending the children and giving resources to others to raise women’s children.
Men must not be allowed to avoid court involvement by offering them john school, anger management classes etc. instead of court. Programs must be offered in conjunction with court involvement and oversight.
The issue of violence against women must be dealt with and taken seriously by law enforcement, prosecution and on a governmental level.
Acknowledge the inherent gendering, racism, classism, and colonialism and keep it in the conversation every time prostitution is discussed.
Women exiting prostitution must be offered long term, consistent services and counselling needed to heal from the trauma of their abuse.
– EVE (formerly Exploited Voices now Educating), a group of prostitution survivors based in Canada
You might notice that survivors talk about alternatives to prostitution for getting income in conjunction with ending male demand for female bodies. Abolitionists know that poverty is a huge factor as to why many girls and women end up in prostitution and why it is so difficult for them to leave, of course we don’t want to just see some laws put in place and then do nothing else and say that’s it, good luck getting into the workforce. Abolishing the sex industry is inseparably linked with abolishing capitalism and making it possible for all women to have access to basic necessities is an integral part of anti-porn/anti-pimping feminist activism. Obviously getting rid of capitalism isn’t going to happen overnight so for the time being government-funded exiting services, counseling, options for alternative jobs, etc. as mentioned above are important for helping prostituted and formerly prostituted women and girls.
Also, banning the purchase of sex while decriminalising the prostituted has been shown to reduce human trafficking and violence against prostituted women. (source 1, source 2) There are a lot of posts going around claiming the opposite and backed with zero evidence. But hey, if you’re going to believe tumblr posts claiming that “abolitionists are harming sex workers,” then it is upon your willfully deaf ears that will fall the voices of people they claim to speak for.