Equally Safe: A consultation on challenging men's demand for prostitution, working to reduce the harms associated with prostitution and helping women to exit - Scotland

[stumbledin]

Consultation closes on 10 December 2020

Prostitution is a form of commercial sexual exploitation. Commercial sexual exploitation persists as a result of how women are viewed by society.

The Scottish Government’s definition of gender based violence is clearly set out in Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls:

“Gender based violence is a function of gender inequality, and an abuse of male power and privilege. It takes the form of actions that result in physical, sexual and psychological harm or suffering to women and children, or affront to their human dignity, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. It is men who predominantly carry out such violence, and women who are predominantly the victims of such violence. By referring to violence as ‘gender based’ this definition highlights the need to understand violence within the context of women’s and girl’s subordinate status in society. Such violence cannot be understood, therefore, in isolation from the norms, social structure and gender roles within the community, which greatly influence women’s vulnerability to violence”

Equally Safe Priority 4 states the Scottish Government’s priority to ensure men desist from all forms of violence against women and girls and perpetrators of such violence receive a robust and effective response. This violence includes the violence perpetrated by men in relation to acts of commercial sexual exploitation, of which prostitution is one aspect.

The consultation is being taken forward under Equally Safe and fulfils the 2019-20 Programme for Government commitment to consult on approaches to challenge men’s demand for prostitution, continue to support work to reduce the harms associated with commercial sexual exploitation and help women to exit prostitution.

consult.gov.scot/violence-against-women-team/equally-safe-reduce-harms-associated-prostitution/

Crikey, that sounds a bit feminist. This looks promising.

I would say that it sounds good but unfortunately they say gender it's not my gender that puts me at risk of this it's my sex. Also considering that the Scottish government has redefined the word women to include all self iding men as women im even more suspicious

It's perfectly obvious in the context what is meant- same as in gender pay gap.

I will submit a response. Ignoring it for the reason you give is cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Thanks for the heads up. Will have to set a reminder to look at this.

I wasn't too sure about the use of the word gender, but so many do it now without thinking. But then they talk about male power!

But agree it sounds promising. So not sure if those of us south of the border can reply.

But hope those who have the time do as to even have a Government to talk about ending men's demand for prostitution is a step forward.

Nordic Model Now! have published some guidance on this consultation.

nordicmodelnow.org/2020/11/07/how-to-respond-to-the-scottish-prostitution-consultation/

There is also a free webinar on the topic of prostitution in general.

Prostitution: Work? ... Or exploitation?
Sun, 22 November 2020
14:00 – 16:00 GMT

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/prostitution-work-or-exploitation-tickets-128220522033

I think in this context gender is an appropriate term.
Gender is the collection of social constructs that mean people in different sex classes have different roles, assumptions, amounts of power etc etc
It's gender, not sex that is at the root of men's violence against women and girls. It's our sex that means we are assigned a gender and hence are more likely to be victims of violence.

@StillWeRise

I think in this context gender is an appropriate term. Gender is the collection of social constructs that mean people in different sex classes have different roles, assumptions, amounts of power etc etc It's gender, not sex that is at the root of men's violence against women and girls. It's our sex that means we are assigned a gender and hence are more likely to be victims of violence.

I disagree. Women are vulnerable to male violence because we are generally smaller and weaker. That's based on sex.

@StillWeRise

I think in this context gender is an appropriate term. Gender is the collection of social constructs that mean people in different sex classes have different roles, assumptions, amounts of power etc etc It's gender, not sex that is at the root of men's violence against women and girls. It's our sex that means we are assigned a gender and hence are more likely to be victims of violence.

Completely disagree.

Gender varies from culture to culture, as do gender roles and clothing assigned to them. Sex doesn't, and nor does the systematic and entrenched oppression of women - always centred around their sexual and reproductive potential. Women have the babies, and we're smaller and weaker. We're vulnerable to male control, and men want to access women's bodies to use sexually, and to ensure that the babies are theirs, too.

The root of women's oppression is our sex. Gender is simply the social control mechanism used to apply pressure on us to comply. That doesn't mean it's not harmful to men in many ways as well, especially those lower down the social pecking order, but let's be clear: they're not excising ears or tongues in young girls. It's genital mutilation for a reason, and the reason is sexual control.

Thanks for posting this, @stumbledin - it's hopeful. For all the horrendous effects of the Scots government's determination to erase what women are in law, this does support a really important challenge to a key form of male violence against women.

Can you fill it out even if you aren't in Scotland?

@ISaySteadyOn

Can you fill it out even if you aren't in Scotland?

I don't see why not. Especially if you have some experience or knowledge in the area... Maybe there are some good/bad policies implemented where you live. It would be good for the Scottish government to hear from all backgrounds instead of the very influential and well-funded sex work lobby.

It's gender, not sex that is at the root of men's violence against women and girls. It's our sex that means we are assigned a gender and hence are more likely to be victims of violence

Do you actually believe this bullshit?
Males of all ages, any social status, upbringing, wealthy or poor, irrespective of any chosen 'gender', rape, attack and kill females.
The only common denominator is that they are male.

Females aren't raped, attacked and murdered because of their sex. I wasn't 'assigned' any gender. I do not conform to sex role stereotypes. I have still been attacked, abused, followed, groped etc etc BECAUSE I AM FEMALE

How exactly are the Scottish government going to protect women and girls from male violence if it can't even define them?

Sorry that should say females ARE raped, attacked and murdered because of their sex.

@NonnyMouse1337

One for Women Speak Scotland.

'Tis the season for consultations!

The SNP can’t even coherently define what a man or woman is. So how do they intend to end male violence against women?

I find it fascinating and worrying that the norm (BBC, Scot govt, GG, too many to mention)

On the one hand say. Gender blah etc vagina people and whatnot.

But then in the next breath hand wring about sex based stuff and often have no issues using man woman male female etc.

With no apparent understanding that they are being total fucking hypocrites.

What's it called? Cognitive dissonance or something.

No. You can't have it both ways.

'Prostitution is a form of commercial sexual exploitation. Commercial sexual exploitation persists as a result of how people are viewed by society.

The Scottish Government’s definition of gender based violence is clearly set out in Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against... who? People with a gender ID of woman? Or. People with cunts'.

Which?.

The desire to change language on certain topics, while leveraging it in the old (usual) way on others is. Cowardly. Pathetic. And wrong.

Put your money where your mouth is. Is it young people and adults with vaginas? Or. People who identify as women/ girls...?

If the latter. The sexual exploitation of young people is an important matter to address. The mechanisms are different for male/ female. How the fuck are you going to describe that?

Or does anyone sexually exploited by definition have a female gender ID? That's the logical end point, I think.

Just want to let you know that Nordic Model Now! has today released a REALLY EASY WAY to respond to the consultation - for anyone who hasn't the time or inclination to fill out the whole consultation.

If you support the Nordic Model approach, do please consider using this easy option. For this consultation numbers are really important.

Prostitution is a global issue and you can respond no matter where you live in the world.

Here is the link:

www.nmnow.org/contact/

And here is more information about the Nordic Model approach if you're not familiar with it:

nordicmodelnow.org/what-is-the-nordic-model/

A reminder this closes in 2 days. It's fairly quick to fill in, although I missed out half the questions as not my area of expertise.

Of course it’s sex. Our sex makes us weaker but also more valuable in terms of reproductive capacity. It’s our sex men have tried to control - not the fact that we wear pink and have ribbons in our hair.

Quote: "It would be good for the Scottish government to hear from all backgrounds instead of the very influential and well-funded sex work lobby."

What you call the "sex-work lobby" are actually unable to receive any funding at all from the Scottish Government. The Government's current stance is a blanket "sex work is violence" and groups are only able to receive Government funding if they agree with that view.

This means British-based sex worker groups (by "sex workers", I mean adults who sell sex for clarification) Scot-Pep, IUSW, Umbrella Lane, and English Collective of Prostitutes do not receive anything at all from the Government because they have differing views and advocate for complete decriminalisation.

Complete decriminalisation is also advocated by including:
Amnesty International
World Health Org
Human Rights Watch
UNAIDS and UNFPA
Freedom United (International anti-slavery org)
ILGA (international LGBTI assoc)
PICUM (org based with rights and safety of migrants in Europe)
GAATW (Global Alliance against Trafficked women)
HIV Scotland
National AIDS Trust

While the "Nordic Model" is strongly supported by feminist groups, decriminalisation has a lot of support by local and international human rights, health and sex worker groups.

Forgive me for playing Devil's Advocate, but it's a complex debate that has many sides.