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 < Back 'Put Health First' say Democrats in Brothel Debate February 5th 2003 - NSW Democrat Leader, Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans today called on the State government to put health first in the debate over brothel policy. The Disorderly Houses Act's original intention was to decriminalise brothels. New amendments in 2001 changed the rules of evidence for prosecutions allow councils to harass individual sex workers working from their homes. This has led to allegations of corruption within Councils, although the Disorderly Houses Act was intended to lessen Police corruption. The 'Private Sex Workers' rely on being discrete to work. Neither they nor their clients want publicity. So it is unlikely that they will make a 'disturbance'. If they do, this could be judged on its merits, as any other home-based business is. AIDS is spreading across the world, and Australia has been somewhat spared largely because of our sensible and honest approach to providing condoms and clean needles. Driving brothels underground and disrupting sex workers education and support networks will increase STD, and there is already evidence that chlamydia infections are increasing, as are requests for unsafe sex. It is important that the sex industry is principally regulated by health considerations. Sex workers operating either alone, or in pairs for greater personal safety should be left alone, and the government should strengthen sex education outreach programmes to lessen diseases in the interest of public health. "Silly statements by politicians grandstanding, or moral groups who do public health harm as they interfere should butt out of this debate. The government and opposition should be ashamed of their foolish and dangerous legislative efforts", concluded Dr Chesterfield-Evans. |
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updated:
January 18, 2004
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