(Content Warning: Depictions of sex work)
In the United Kingdom, sex work is legal. Well, loosely. Prostitution is legal, but many common acts of sex work are not. Two sex workers living in an apartment together, for example, could face up to seven years in prison for “running a brothel.” In Mexico, sex work is completely legal under federal law. Though each state has its individual policies on prostitution, thirteen out of Mexico’s thirty-one states allow regulated prostitution.
For sex workers, Mexico’s laws are a lot more appealing. Facing seven years in prison for living with another sex worker is absolutely absurd, and for UK sex workers, the fear of being arrested and prosecuted is very real. Many sex workers have been advocating for the decriminalization of sex work worldwide, and for good reason. Sex work is the livelihood of so many women-- specifically high-risk women who may be mothers or recovering drug addicts.
Sex work, for an absurdly high number of women, is their only option. To these women, the stigmatization and illegalization of sex work threatens their life daily. They often can’t report abuse or sexual assault, as they themselves may be imprisoned due to the nature of their work. The social stigmatization of sex work also prevents these women from reaching out to other people in their life and getting help.
Despite this, sex work is still damaging to women in the industry.
Nevada is the last state in the US where prostitution is legal, only allowing prostitution to take place in licensed areas. In other words, sex work in Nevada can only exist in government-recognized brothels. This system solely benefits the consumer, who is guaranteed a private experience with a legal sex worker. The sex worker themselves, however, only keeps half of the money earned. They have to pay for all costs related to their work and get no health benefits or vacation pay. The brothel system pockets the money earned by the women while not giving them anything in return, knowing these women have no other options.
In my eyes, the brothel system is borderline dystopian. In one brothel, women have to be “show ready” by 11 am. The women line up, and the client picks who to spend time with. Though some sex workers working in this brothel insist that their experience working there changed them for the better, is that truly the case for all women? How could a system that feeds off the objectification of women whilst taking their profits truly be beneficial to the workers?
Even if a brothel can help a woman escape abuse and earn money, it’s important to know that countless women have come forward with contrary experiences. If a state or country truly cares about the well-being of women escaping abusive situations, the solution is not to legalize sex work. Sex work should not be the only option for these women, but it often is. Had countries and states worked to give these women other options instead of promoting sex work, then maybe these women would be able to live a better life without being pushed into a physically and emotionally taxing industry.
Even though sex work shouldn’t be promoted, it most certainly should not be shamed or criminalized. To punish the victims of a system makes no sense. Especially because sex work is so prevalent due to the objectification of women.
Decriminalizing sex work is, clearly and absolutely, the only way to protect women.
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