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Original poster

Pushing back against the so-called Nordic Model of sex work

554 replies

SnugFinch · 14/12/2025 19:11

Hi. I'm aware that my views might not be the most popular, but I am posting here in good faith.

Many of you know that Ash Regan has been campaigning to get sex work legislation in place which follows the neo-abolitionist model, or Nordic Model. This so-called Nordic Model claims that it will punish buyers of sex work, while not criminalising sellers, and that this will benefit sex workers and stop sex trafficking.

However, this is untrue. By criminalising buyers, it ensures that the only people who will buy sex are criminals who don't care about breaking the law. And because sex workers have a smaller client pool, they have no choice but to put themselves at the mercy of these criminals, and can end up suffering violence as a result.

This so-called Nordic Model has been law in the island of Ireland for nearly a decade now, and it has made things worse for the women involved, and it has done nothing to stop sex trafficking, as the facts in this article (and the testimony of a former sex worker) prove.

https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/02/07/on-problems-with-the-nordic-model-of-prostitution/

Ash Regan's bill has been delayed for the moment, but it hasn't been defeated. There is a growing worry that what happened in Ireland could happen in Scotland. And it could extend to England and Wales as well.

Feminists should want to end violence against all women. So why is there support for the Nordic Model, which has proven to be so hazardous to female sex workers?

I'm curious as to what your thoughts are.

Minister deals new blow to Ash Regan 'Unbuyable Bill' with scathing assessment

The Scottish Government minister Siobhain Brown has dealt a significant blow to Ash Regan's plans to crackdown on prostitution after delivering a…

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25685603.snp-minister-deals-blow-ash-regan-unbuyable-bill/

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DuchessDandelion · 14/12/2025 19:29

I am not convinced by this argument against the Nordic Model, women face violence anyway. One of the Scandinavian countries, I forget which, also succeeded in making pornography shameful which has seen a huge reduction in societal misogyny.

I believe these are both appropriate ways to tackle violence & abuse against women and would like to see them adopted in more countries.

MsPavlichenko · 14/12/2025 19:23

SnugFinch · 14/12/2025 19:11

Hi. I'm aware that my views might not be the most popular, but I am posting here in good faith.

Many of you know that Ash Regan has been campaigning to get sex work legislation in place which follows the neo-abolitionist model, or Nordic Model. This so-called Nordic Model claims that it will punish buyers of sex work, while not criminalising sellers, and that this will benefit sex workers and stop sex trafficking.

However, this is untrue. By criminalising buyers, it ensures that the only people who will buy sex are criminals who don't care about breaking the law. And because sex workers have a smaller client pool, they have no choice but to put themselves at the mercy of these criminals, and can end up suffering violence as a result.

This so-called Nordic Model has been law in the island of Ireland for nearly a decade now, and it has made things worse for the women involved, and it has done nothing to stop sex trafficking, as the facts in this article (and the testimony of a former sex worker) prove.

https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/02/07/on-problems-with-the-nordic-model-of-prostitution/

Ash Regan's bill has been delayed for the moment, but it hasn't been defeated. There is a growing worry that what happened in Ireland could happen in Scotland. And it could extend to England and Wales as well.

Feminists should want to end violence against all women. So why is there support for the Nordic Model, which has proven to be so hazardous to female sex workers?

I'm curious as to what your thoughts are.

If you’re posting in good faith, I suggest you read the data contained in the links, and indeed elsewhere by Nordic Model Now.

You’ll realise you’re misinformed, or just wrong. A woman’s body is not a workplace.

Gingernaut · 14/12/2025 19:13

Any prostitution is deadly dangerous to the vulnerable

The Nordic Model is better than what's happened in the past, where underage girls were raped by their pumps clients and then blamed for what happened

They are still investigating what happened