New Zealand and Sweden: Two Models of Reform

Sex, Work, Rights Reforming Canadian Criminal Laws on Prostitution

This is one in a series of 10 info sheets examining the need for reform to Canada’s prostitution laws to protect and promote the health and human rights of sex workers.

1 Decriminalizing sex work(ers): law reform to 9 protect health and human rights 2 Sex workers and HIV/AIDS: stigma, New Zealand discrimination and vulnerability 3 Prostitution offences in the Criminal Code and Sweden: 4 Enforcing marginalization, undermining safety: the impact of the criminal law on sex workers 5 Regulating prostitution beyond the criminal law 6 Sex workers and international human rights two models 7 Sex work and women’s rights 8 Sex workers and the Charter 9 New Zealand and Sweden: two models of reform of reform 10 Essential resources This info sheet examines recent reforms to prostitution laws in New Zealand and Sweden, and considers the effect of those reforms on the health and human rights of sex workers.

New Zealand Prostitution Reform Act, 2003 It permits and regulates the business of prostitution, and distinguishes The Prostitution Reform Act, 2003 between “brothels” and “small Prior to the passage of the received royal assent in June owner-operated brothels” in which Prostitution Reform Act, 2003, 2003. The Act’s stated purpose is not more than four sex workers prostitution was not illegal per se to decriminalize certain activities can work and each maintains in New Zealand, though many of related to prostitution and to create control over his or her earnings. the activities surrounding it were. a framework that: This is similar to the situation in Restrictions are placed on advertising and local governments many countries, including Canada • safeguards the human rights of are given the power to regulate the (see info sheet 3). Efforts in New sex workers and protects them location of brothels and signage Zealand to curb activities related to from exploitation; prostitution by criminalizing them advertising commercial sexual services. Non-citizens cannot get undermined efforts to promote safer • promotes the welfare and work permits for the business of sex education and practices. Sex occupational health and safety of prostitution. workers were the subject of routine sex workers; police harassment. Typically, police would mount operations in major • is conducive to public health; and Occupational health and safety cities like Wellington and Auckland The Prostitution Reform Act, twice a year. The presence of • prohibits the use in prostitution of 2003 contains explicit provisions condoms would often be part of persons under 18 years of age. intended to minimize the trans- the state’s evidence to indicate the mission of sexually transmitted presence of a brothel; meanwhile, The Act defines a “sex worker” as a infections and otherwise protect the the Ministry of Health supplied person who provides “commercial health of sex workers and clients. condoms to a sex worker group for sexual services” and makes it legal Operators of prostitution businesses, distribution to sex workers. to enter into contracts for such sex workers and clients must take services. all reasonable steps to ensure that “a prophylactic sheath or other protection of women, illustrated to target street prostitution. While appropriate barrier is used” if the by the 1995 committee’s statement the report provides some evidence sexual services “involve vaginal, that “[n]o prostitution can be said to of a reduction in street prostitution, anal, or oral penetrations or other be of a voluntary nature.” In 1998 it states that it is impossible to activity with a similar or greater the Swedish parliament passed a say whether this was due to the risk” of a sexually transmitted law reform measure entitled “The legislation or other factors (e.g., infection. The Act does not require Protection of Women.” The official mobile phones, the internet). The sex workers to undergo medical government position in Sweden is report acknowledges that because examinations or provide health that the purchase of sex constitutes of the extreme unreliability of data certificates. The Act recognizes violence by men against women. regarding off-street prostitution, a sex worker’s right to refuse to it is impossible to say anything provide or continue to provide a Law on prohibition of the meaningful about it. sexual service to any other person. purchase of sexual services The Department of Labour has The report also recognizes that published A Guide to Occupational Included in the 1998 reforms violence is an everyday occurrence Health and Safety in the New was the Law on prohibition of for women involved in prostitution, Zealand Sex Industry.1 Finally, the purchase of sexual services but that the extent of the violence the general Health and Safety in (1998:404), which came into effect has not been recorded systematically Employment Act 1992 applies to on 1 January 1999. The aim of before or after the passage of the law. sex workers. the law was to eliminate street Overall, the report indicates that prostitution and prevent new sex since the law came into effect: In July of 2005, in the first case of workers from entering prostitution. its kind, a district court convicted a The law criminalizes the client who • there are fewer clients and a larger man of an offence under the Act for purchases sexual services, but not proportion are dangerous; taking his condom off during sexual the sex worker. The relevant part of intercourse without the knowledge the law states: • sex workers have less time to of a sex worker. He was fined and assess clients; ordered to pay costs. The person who, for payment, obtains a casual sexual relationship is penalised – • the prices for sexual services have Mandatory review of the Act unless the action entails punishment in fallen; accordance with the Penal Code – for the The Prostitution Law Review purchase of sexual services with fines • more clients are prepared to pay Committee was created to carry out or imprisonment for a maximum of six for unprotected sex; and reviews, assessments and reporting months. For attempting to do so, the under the Act. A full review of the person is sentenced in accordance with • sex workers feel that their risk operation of the Act must take place chapter 23 of the Penal Code [the section of encountering violence while by the end June 2008. Significantly, which deals with attempted criminal working has increased. the Act gives the New Zealand offences]. Prostitutes Collective the power These effects have been experienced to nominate three of the eleven The law criminalizes situations most acutely by the most vulnerable members of the Review Committee. where money, narcotic substances, women – sex workers who work on gifts or other forms of compensation the streets, who have psychiatric have been agreed upon – even if problems, who are homeless or who Sweden not given – in exchange for sexual are immigrants to Sweden. The services. The law does not define report also remarks that the law Three Swedish government “casual sexual relationship.” has created a new form of crime: committees have studied the women posing as sex workers rob issue of prostitution since 1977. clients, who dare not report the The committees have made Experience with the law robbery for fear of being charged recommendations for criminalizing In October 2004 the Swedish with attempting to purchase sexual the buyer of sexual services, the Ministry of Justice and the Police services. seller of sexual services, and in released a report the experience some instances both the buyer and with the law criminalizing the A number of non-governmental seller. The committees in 1995 and purchase of sexual services.2 The organizations, sex workers and other 1997 based their recommendations report documents that most of people have written critiques of the on the idea that criminalization of the police resources directed at Swedish law.3 prostitution was necessary for the enforcing the law have been used Comparison and contrasts

In its conception and as written, the New Zealand Prostitution Reform Act, 2003 is much more respectful of the autonomy, dignity and human rights of sex workers than the Swedish Law on prohibition of the purchase of sexual services. Given that it only came into force in 2003, so far little evidence of the effect of the New Zealand legislation has been gathered. In contrast, evidence indicates that the Swedish law has not eliminated prostitution and has resulted in more dangerous working conditions for women sex workers, especially the most vulnerable women. The New Zealand model offers a better example of a reform that respects, protects and fulﬁls the human rights of sex workers and holds more promise for better protecting their health. It should be considered seriously by countries committed to improving the health and safety of sex workers.

Notes

1 This guide is available at www.osh.dol. govt.nz/order/catalogue/235.shtml.

2 This report is available at www.odin. no/ﬁlarkiv/232216/Purchasing_Sexual_ Services_in_Sweden_and_The_Nederlands. pdf.

3 These are available via the website of the Bay Area Sex Worker Advocacy Network (California, US) at www.bayswan.org/swed/ swed_index.html. 9 Reproduction of this info sheet is encouraged, but copies may not be sold, and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network must be cited as the source.

For further information, visit www.aidslaw.ca.

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Funding to produce this info sheet was provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reﬂect the ofﬁcial views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.