Framed as a step towards equal rights for sex workers, the announced legislation (to be introduced) is the result of a collaboration between sex workers themselves and a parliamentarian.
Oct. 20. — Dublin, IE — By Artemis T. Douglas
On the evening of Oct. 19, within Unite the Union’s Dublin offices, Red Umbrella Éireann (RUÉ) in collaboration with TD Ruth Coppinger announced an upcoming effort to legislatively decriminalize sex work in Ireland.
Editor’s Note: According to the Oireachtas’ (Irish national legislature’s) website, “The Dáil is the lower house of the Oireachtas. A Dáil Member's official Irish title is "Teachta Dála" (TD) which in English means "Deputy to the Dáil".”
This announcement followed an international panel on the topic of the global movement for decriminalized sex work.
When introducing the panel, organizers from RUÉ said, “Decriminalization for us is a first step towards equal rights for sex workers. We believe that all people should be protected from poverty and hardship. Decriminalization and anti-poverty measures must be considered simultaneously to protect those who are most at risk.”
The organizers framed the discussion that followed as focusing “on a movement for decriminalization of sex work internationally.”
In the panel, there were representatives from groups across 4 countries - New Zealand, South Africa, the USA, and of course, Ireland.
Anna Pickering from the New Zealand Collective of Prostitutes spoke first. During her remarks, Pickering explained, “New Zealand law follows a human rights approach that recognizes that sex workers’ work.”
Pickering explained that a criminalization approach only increased violence, harassment, and bullying against women, including those who are sex workers.
“We needed to ensure sex workers have the right to refuse to have sex for any reason or no reason.”
She further clarified that “NZPC does not believe that sex work in and of itself is harmful. NZPC helped write the new laws, which were the result of years of discussion with sex workers and others.”
Another speaker was Constance Nothando Mathem, a representative from the Asijiki Coalition.
Asijiki Coalition is a South African organization bringing together 139 organizations, including feminists, LGBT+, academic, and community organizations.
“Many are women, mothers, migrants, LGBTQI people, living with HIV” Mathem said, and continued, “living all of them, they are all under the red umbrella.”
Mathem further stated, “The movement embraces intersectionality- connecting the sex-caste rights to gender justice and reproductive rights, including the rights on sexed opportunities.”
Other speakers included Ollie Bell, the founder of Dublin Trans and Intersex Pride, and a representative from a San Francisco based sex workers’ collective.
Bell spoke at length, clearly tying both trans rights and abortion rights to an overarching theme of bodily autonomy.
Further, Bell made the point that trans people’s medicine and reproductive medicine, such as HRT, pill-based contraceptives, or a medical abortion, all operate on hormones administered medically.
Bell finished their remarks with a goal of making “GP-provided informed consent” the model for trans healthcare in Ireland.
After the panel, which was nearly an hour long, organizers stood up and introduced Ruth Coppinger TD. TD Coppinger had prepared remarks and spoke to those gathered.
Editor’s Note: The following is a transcript taken down at the event. It may not be 100% accurate, but it is faithful.
Ruth Coppinger TD: “I think it's an amazing initiative that you've taken.
In relation to the bill that's been drafted by the people who have been speaking here, it was organised here. There was a sexual offences act in 2017 that dealt with sex workers and safety, dealt with a lot of things.
The minister said that, in a review of the Circuit Justice and these are the words, “regrettably the review highlights that with the criminalization of the purchase of sexual services demand has not decreased.”
So it was a stated aim of the legislation by criminalising the purchase of sex to reduce demand. That obviously hasn't worked, and we have to recognise that.
And then, I think the other aspect which necessitates a bill to decriminalize is that violence against sex workers- either by clients, members of the Gardaí (Police) or whoever remains widespread as well.
And from talking to sex workers here, they've expressed how the current legislation is disempowering for them, and creating a potentially more dangerous environment for them.
And gender-based violence, men's violence against women and LGBT+ people is obviously rampant in every part of society, but any hint of further marginalising sex workers can increase then the level of violence.
So I'm really glad to support the ‘sex workers' safety’ whatever we're going to call the bill. All will be revealed. And I'll be happy to work with other parliamentarians, be they TDs or senators.
We already had a briefing in the Dáil, unfortunately, it clashed with some other very important things that happened in the Dáil.
But I think the process of trying to educate TDs and senators and give them information will be very important for the success of the bill. And I think having an outreach, if you know what I mean, to the general population, will also be very important.
So, I'm delighted to be able to help. That's why I'm in the Dáil, is to facilitate minority groups, working-class people, women, LGBT+ people. And I think this intersects with all of those. So thanks very much and we give more news very shortly, hopefully.”
[APPLAUSE FROM CROWD]
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