Joint Statement on Sex Work Consultation

The Rainbow Greens, the Scottish Young Greens and the Scottish Green Party Trade Union Group would like to clearly state their position on the most recent direction of the Scottish Government.

On the 11th of September, the Scottish Government released a consultation called “Equally Safe-challenging men’s demand for prostitution”. We see this as another step by the SNP towards adopting the Nordic Model on sex work. The main purpose of this consultation does not seem to be about how we can empower sex workers to be safe, but instead on how we can lower demand - this is also the main objective of the Nordic Model.

International research has consistently demonstrated that the Nordic Model shrinks the base of clients, pushes sex workers further into poverty, makes workers more likely to compromise on their safety to ensure they get at least some payment, involving going to dangerous environments, and having unprotected sex leading to increased cases of HIV and other STIs, and can even result in physical harm.

Shrinking the base of clients has also been shown to make the proportion of dangerous clients larger, as clients who operate within the law are more likely to be safe. The fundamentally flawed Nordic Model still force workers to work alone making them more vulnerable to various forms of abuse.

We, along with the wider Scottish Green Party, endorse the decriminalisation model of sex work. Recognition of sex work as work provides greater opportunities to support and regulate what is currently an ‘underground’ industry, keeping sex workers safer and making it possible for them to access rights, protection and support within the law. Recognition of sex work as work offers dignity and respect to those people who engage in sex work because they want to, as well as to those for whom it may be a last resort under untenable circumstances created by our patriarchal systems of government and their austerity choices.

The Rainbow Greens, the Scottish Young Greens and the Scottish Green Party Trade Union Group call on the Scottish Government to reverse their direction. We call on our supporters to respond to this consultation by stating their support for decriminalisation and opposition to the Nordic Model, to keep women and queer people safe while engaging in sex work.