A decadent civilization compromises with its disease, cherishes the virus infecting it, loses its self-respect. – E.M. Cioran
The Swedish Model of prostitution law is based on the premise that women are moral imbeciles who are psychologically incompetent to determine the conditions under which we will consent to sex, and the state therefore assumes the right to set those conditions for us. Like girls under the age of consent in most countries, women in Swedish Model countries are neither allowed to consent to certain sex partners, nor can they be held liable for their actions if they violate the law; since only men are considered fully competent to make sexual decisions, Swedish Model law only punishes men for violating that law. Up until now only three Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden and Iceland) had such a low opinion of women’s competency, but despite the total lack of demonstrable positive results the Swedish disease appears to be spreading; several jurisdictions in the United States appear to be flirting with it, a neofeminist group presumed to “demand” that Canada adopt it last year,
Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) are trying to get as much support at the moment as possible. There are plans to change legislation in relation to prostitution to criminalise the buyers of sex. To people who are not aware of sex worker issues internationally this may seem like a good idea. However, its proven to be a mad move in other countries with sex workers being put more at risk with their safety, human rights and civil rights being greatly affected.
SWAI would be grateful to any support that they can get. Labour and Fine Gael have both come out as supporting a change in legislation without any debate. There is no discussion and sex workers are not being involved or consulted despite being the people who are going to be most affected by this change in legislation. The government are confusing issues like trafficking and abuse with sex work in general and mashing them together. It has been taken on as a moralistic issue with Ruhama leading it (a Christian organisation)….it’s craziness not to at least open the discussions!
HELP!! I want to see if we can open people’s eyes. Perhaps the Unit Left Alliance, Socialist Party or similar would hear our opinions and help us. We are not looking for legalisation..simply to stop further criminalisation which would further stigmatise and alienate these women and men. If anyone could help us in our campaign or know anyone who could help by perhaps joining us in the mini marathon, helping us gain support by email or web based media, messaging people to make them aware of SWAI or in any way at all please contact SWAI through their web site. The mini marathon is being held in May to raise awareness of the proposed changes in legislation.
SWAI web site and link to a Facebook page where you can be kept up to date with developments. “HERE”.
I don’t think the writer of this appeal is thinking very clearly when she suggests that the Socialist Party would be interested in helping (unless it was merely to anger the Christian group); Socialists and Communists have always been hostile to prostitution as a capitalist institution and tend to view prostitutes as victims of economics, the “Patriarchy” or both. And considering that the model originated in the Scandinavian social democracies, asking the Socialists to oppose it would rather be like asking the Ku Klux Klan for help against a Neo-Nazi policy.
