I’m writing to ask you to protect women caught in prostitution by introducing uniform, women-centred legislation nationwide regulating prostitution with the progressive and successful “Nordic Model”. The “Nordic Model” addresses demand by criminalising buyers and those profiting off the exploitation of women, while decriminalising the women trapped in the sex industry. Coupled with support services to assist women who want to leave, the model provides them with a pathway out of prostitution. The “Nordic Model” ensures that women are not afraid to come forward for help when facing abuse or in order to exit the industry. It criminalises buyers and pimps, rather than those being exploited, which will help protect vulnerable women. The current legislation in Australia keeps women trapped in this dangerous, violent and exploitative industry. Deregulating the industry will only make things worse. Since Sweden implemented the “Nordic Model” over two decades ago, their street prostitution and trafficking have declined dramatically. I am asking you to help Australia take a similar unified approach, with nationwide women-centred legislation that implements the “Nordic Model”. Please stand up for Australian women who are caught in the trap of prostitution. Women need to be safe and supported. This is about safety for women. There is a better way.

Please stand up for women in regulating the industry nationally by introducing the “Nordic Model” into federal law – where only the buyers and those profiting off the exploitation of women are criminalised, not the women being exploited. This, along with support services to assist women who want to leave, provides them with a pathway out of prostitution. Recently, Victoria announced plans to fully deregulate prostitution and legitimise the sexual exploitation of women as “work”. This was not a victory for women in the prostitution industry – it was the exact opposite. The current approach and legislation we have in Australia are contradictory because we’re saying that women should be respected by men and that men don’t have the right to exploit women’s bodies, but then the prostitution industry is saying that they can – so long as they pay a fee. Women in this industry are subjected to violence and indignities by both those who purchase them and those who sell them. The exploitation and commodification of women and girls is not normal and is not acceptable. Please take a stand to introduce nationwide, uniform, women-centred legislation that implements the “Nordic Model”, where only the buyers and pimps are criminalised – not the women who are caught in prostitution. This is about the safety of women. There is a better way – please take it.

I’m writing to ask you to be a voice for women by implementing the women-centred “Nordic Model” to bring about prostitution law reform nationwide. The women caught in this dangerous, violent and exploitative industry are in need of legislation that will ensure their protection. Currently, women are afraid to come forward for help when facing abuse or in order to exit the industry. Women trapped in prostitution are subjected to violence and indignities by both those who purchase them and those who sell them. A study of prostitution in nine different countries showed that 71% of those in prostitution have been physically abused “at work” while 63% have been raped. Of the respondents in this study, 89% wished to escape the industry, but had no other means of survival. But the deregulation of prostitution is not the answer. This will not ensure the safety of women. Since the implementation of the “Nordic Model” in Sweden over two decades ago, their street prostitution and trafficking have declined dramatically. Please stand up for women so that those caught in the prostitution trap are not afraid to speak up and leave this dangerous, violent and exploitative industry. Women caught in the prostitution trap need to know we are serious about protecting them. There is a better way to protect women – through the “Nordic Model”.

I’m asking you to take the lead in seeing a united approach to the current mess of prostitution laws across the nation. A study of prostitution in nine different countries showed that 71% of those in prostitution have been physically abused “at work” while 63% have been raped. Of the respondents in this study, 89% wished to escape the industry, but had no other means of survival. These women often come from vulnerable backgrounds and enter the industry as a result of childhood abuse, poverty, grooming or coercion rather than as a free choice. Once inside the industry, they are subject to all manner of violence and indignities both by those who purchase them and those who sell them, often turning to drugs and alcohol in order to endure it. Women caught in the prostitution trap need good laws that protect them, right across the nation. The federal government needs to take the lead, so that women are supported to get out of this violent exploitation. Since the implementation of the “Nordic Model” in Sweden over two decades ago, street prostitution and trafficking have declined dramatically. The “Nordic Model” addresses demand by criminalising buyers and pimps, while decriminalising the women trapped in this dangerous, violent and exploitative industry. Coupled with exiting services for women wishing to leave the industry, the model provides them with a pathway out of prostitution. I am asking you to help Australia take a similar approach, with nationwide, uniform, women-centred legislation that implements the successful, women-centred “Nordic Model” into federal law. Please stand up for women and be a voice for women. Women need to be safe and supported.

I’m writing today to ask you to stand up for women in regulating the industry by introducing the “Nordic Model” nationwide, where only the buyers and pimps are criminalised, not the women being exploited. Coupled with support services to assist women who want to leave, this will give women a pathway out of prostitution. Recently, Victoria announced plans to fully deregulate prostitution and legitimise the sexual exploitation of women as “work”. This is an incredible loss for women involved in prostitution, because it will make things even more dangerous for them. Each state in Australia has a radically different approach to this issue. The message this sends to women caught in prostitution is that our country doesn’t care enough to discuss a united approach. It’s time to bring in uniform legislation that protects women and girls under one effective federal law. The current legislation in Australia keeps women trapped in this dangerous, violent and exploitative industry. Deregulating the industry will only make things worse. Since the implementation of the “Nordic Model” in Sweden over two decades ago, street prostitution and trafficking have declined dramatically. We need a national model that will ensure consistent and equal protection for all women, irrespective of where they are in Australia. So please stand up for women by introducing the “Nordic Model” into federal law so that those caught in the prostitution trap are not afraid to speak up and leave this violent and exploitative industry. There is a better way – please adopt the “Nordic Model” into law to ensure safety for women.

Please help rescue women caught in prostitution by introducing the “Nordic Model” into federal law, where only the buyers and those profiting off the exploitation of women are criminalised, not the women being exploited. Along with support services to assist women who want to leave, this will give women a pathway out of prostitution. A study of prostitution in nine different countries showed that 71% of those in prostitution have been physically abused “at work”, while 63% have been raped. Of the respondents in this study, 89% wished to escape the industry, but had no other means of survival. The current legislation in Australia keeps women trapped in this dangerous and exploitative industry. Deregulating the industry will only make things worse. Women in this industry are subjected to violence and indignities by both those who purchase them and those who sell them. The exploitation and commodification of women and girls is not normal and is not acceptable. The “Nordic Model” addresses demand by criminalising the buyers and pimps only, while decriminalising the women trapped in the sex industry. Coupled with exiting services for women wishing to leave the industry, this will give women a pathway out of prostitution so they can escape the dangerous and violent exploitation they’re being subjected to. It’s time to see politicians provide real solutions that will protect women. This will not be done by deregulating the prostitution industry, as that endangers the women caught in its trap. Instead, there needs to be legislation that sees buyers and pimps criminalised, while women are given a pathway out. Please stand up for women. Women need to be safe and supported. This is about safety for women. There is a better way – the “Nordic Model”.

I’m writing to ask you to stand up for women who have been caught up in the prostitution trap. Prostitution, drugs and organised crime all too often go hand-in-hand, right across Australia. Add in human trafficking, and the mix is toxic for the women caught in the grip of being bought and sold. These women often come from vulnerable backgrounds and enter the industry as a result of childhood abuse, poverty, grooming or coercion rather than as a free choice. The women trapped in this dangerous, violent and exploitative industry are in need of legislation that will ensure their protection. Currently, women are afraid to come forward for help when facing abuse or in order to exit the industry. A study of prostitution in nine different countries showed that 71% of those in prostitution have been physically abused “at work” while 63% have been raped. Of the respondents in this study, 89% wished to escape the industry, but had no other means of survival. But the deregulation of the prostitution industry is not the answer. This will not ensure the safety of women. Women caught in the prostitution trap need the “Nordic Model” of legislation to protect them, right across the nation. The federal government needs to take the lead, so that women are supported to get out of this violent and exploitative industry. Since the implementation of the “Nordic Model” in Sweden over two decades ago, street prostitution and trafficking have declined dramatically. The “Nordic Model” addresses demand by criminalising the buyers and pimps only, while decriminalising the women trapped in the industry. Coupled with support services to assist women who want to leave, this gives women a pathway out of prostitution and the life-threatening violence that comes with it. Please stand up for women by leading the way to see the implementation of the progressive, women-centred “Nordic Model” nationwide.

You can help stand up for women in regulating the industry by introducing the “Nordic Model” nationwide, where only the buyers and pimps are criminalised, not the women being exploited. Along with support services to assist women who want to leave, this will give desperate women and girls a pathway out of prostitution. Recently, Victoria announced plans to fully deregulate prostitution and legitimise the sexual exploitation of women as “work”. This was an incredible defeat for women in the prostitution industry because it will only serve to increase the criminal activity that exploits them. The current legislation in Australia keeps women trapped in this dangerous, violent and exploitative industry. Deregulating the industry will only make things worse. In some states, it’s the women caught up in prostitution – women who often come from vulnerable backgrounds and enter the industry as a result of childhood abuse, poverty, grooming or coercion – who bear the brunt of state laws that do not protect them, but threaten them with prison. In other states, there are scarcely any laws regulating prostitution or deterrence for the drugs and organised crime that are rife within the industry. That isn’t protecting women. We need a national model that will ensure consistent and equal protection for all women, irrespective of where they are in Australia. Women caught in the prostitution trap need the “Nordic Model” enshrined in legislation to protect them, right across the nation. The federal government needs to take the lead, so that women are supported to get out of this dangerous industry. Since introducing the “Nordic Model”, Sweden has seen street prostitution and trafficking decline dramatically. All this has happened in just the last 20 years or so. Please stand up for women by implementing the effective, women-centred “Nordic Model” nationwide. You will help women caught in the prostitution trap know that we are serious about protecting them from violence and exploitation.

I’m writing to ask you to stand up for women trapped in prostitution, by introducing the “Nordic Model” nationwide to regulate the industry. This “Nordic Model” has been highly successful overseas. It means the buyers and pimps are criminalised, not the women being exploited. Coupled with support services to assist women who want to leave, it gives women a pathway out of prostitution. Women trapped in this industry are subjected to violence and indignities by both those who purchase them and those who sell them. A study of prostitution in nine different countries showed that 71% of those in prostitution have been physically abused “at work” while 63% have been raped. Of the respondents in this study, 89% wished to escape the industry, but had no other means of survival. Under the current legislation in Australia, we are seeing women being mistreated in this violent and exploitative industry. Deregulating the industry will only make things worse. We need a national model of legislation that will ensure consistent and equal protection for all women, irrespective of where they are in Australia. Please stand up for women by calling for the implementation of the women-centred “Nordic Model” nationwide. This will help women caught in the prostitution trap to feel unafraid to speak up and leave this industry. The “Nordic Model” gives more safety for women. It’s a better way – please put it into action.

So please take action to stand up for women and girls caught in prostitution. Please regulate the industry by introducing the “Nordic Model” nationwide where the buyers and pimps are criminalised, not the women being exploited. Along with support services to assist women who want to leave, this gives women a pathway out of prostitution. With the federal election imminent, it’s time to take a stand for female voters on an issue they care deeply about – protecting vulnerable women and girls. The current legislation in Australia keeps women trapped in a dangerous, violent and exploitative industry that commodifies their bodies. Deregulating the industry will only make things worse. The women caught in prostitution are in need of legislation that will ensure their protection. Currently, women are afraid to come forward for help when facing abuse, or in order to exit the industry. Since the implementation of the “Nordic Model” in Sweden over 20 years ago, street prostitution and trafficking have declined dramatically. The “Nordic Model” addresses demand by criminalising the buyers and those profiting off the exploitation of women, while decriminalising the women whose bodies are being sold. Coupled with support services to assist women who want to leave, this gives women a pathway out of prostitution and away from this dangerous industry that can threaten their lives. The women caught up in prostitution need to know that leaders like you in our nation care about them and want to see them escape the prostitution trap. Please stand up for women by introducing the “Nordic Model” so that those caught in prostitution are not afraid to speak up and leave this dangerous, violent and exploitative industry. This is about safety for women. There is a better way – the “Nordic Model” of legislation. Please make it happen.