Caroline Norma 
…Tollner’s proposal to brothels is particularly cynical, given the population demographics of the Territory. As LNG development proceeds in Darwin, the city will host increasingly large numbers of white, cashed-up men who are a well-worn target consumer group of the sex industry.
Only a small proportion of these men (roughly 15 per cent) are likely to seek out a woman for prostitution, but a greater proportion are vulnerable to “opportunistic” patronage facilitated through semi-prostitution venues like strip clubs, advertising and touting, and all-male group activities like visiting a brothel after a night out drinking.
The sex industry stands to commercially benefit from Tollner’s proposal to legalise brothels through capturing this segment of the market that isn’t inclined to ring one of the NT’s legal outcall agencies.
The sex industry is keen for Tollner’s amendment to be made to the NT’s Prostitution Regulation Act because it would acquire a legitimate shop-front in the Territory. According to research, legalised brothels hamper efforts to detect illegal venues, normalise and encourage public acceptance of the pimping of women for prostitution, and foster an environment that is welcoming of sex tourists for economic gain.
Legal brothels act as “hidden-in-plain-sight”
housing for trafficked women, and the Queensland Government has been forced to issue guidelines for “sleeping accommodation for sex workers” to stop the practice. The Territory is a prime destination for women trafficked from South-East Asia, and also for homeless women, particularly from Aboriginal communities. Sex industry entrepreneurs in the Territory currently run into legal trouble setting up groups of women in apartments to be housed and pimped, but legal brothels would solve this problem….Read full story
Dr Caroline Norma is a lecturer in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies at RMIT University, and member of Amnesty Australia.
Published on The Drum July 30th 2014
3 Responses
Thank you for this excellent piece Caroline. I cannot fathom how facilitating and enabling further abuse of these already marginalised women is being presented as a legitimate option. Of course, nobody is surprised the sex industry support this.
Legalising brothels would cause destruction within communities and families
‘LP assembly member John Elferink is on record as saying Aboriginal women raped and prostituted in “long-grasser” communities should seek to get a job.
“If anyone in these circumstances wants to lift themselves out of these circumstances, the best form of welfare is a job,” he said.’
Elferink there is a job (sic) available for all women and girls and that is men’s pimp industry because the men maintaining and driving demand for men’s pimp industry claim being males’ dehumanised; disposable sexual service station is a job suitable for women and girls! How does Elferink think Aboriginal women can magically obtain a job?? Elferink is another male who views his world through the male myopic gaze, because he has no idea of how mens’ pimp industry destroys women’s and girls’ lives. Women and girls cannot suddenly decide one day: ‘okay I am going to leave mens’ pimp industry and obtain that wonderful job which is has been kept open for me all these years’ despite the fact I am suffering from severe medical conditions/mental health issues all of which are caused by the male buyers sexually preying on me.’
Most of those County Liberal Party ministers are men who are pushing for legalisation of mens’ pseudo sex right to rape and subject women to male sexual torture with impunity.
As usual the issue is all about men maintaining their male pseudo sex right to sexually prey on women and girls under the umbrella of their mens’ pimp industry.
Who cares about the women and girls forced to enter mens’ pimp industry? Not the CLP because they can only see huge, huge profits for the male pimps and male brothel owners and legal male sex right to sexually prey on women and girls with impunity.
Guess who will be the losers – women and girls of course because once mens’ pimp industry is legalised this means male buyers who subject women/girls involved in prostitution to sadistic sexual violence will claim ‘well mens’ pimp industry is legal and we were merely engaged in a business transaction and anyway the dehumanised female product consented so therefore we male buyers can subject them to male sexual violence with impunity!’
Don’t think issue is only about those supposedly disposable women and girls who magically (sic) choose to enter mens’ pimp industry, because the real message CLP is sending to all women is males have the innate right to sexually prey on women and girls with impunity. Any woman or girl can find herself trapped in mens’ pimp industry. Don’t believe men’s pimp industry lies that real Radical Feminists claim ‘there are good women and there are those bad women who are involved in prostitution.’
We don’t – until mens’ pimp industry is finally eradicated by criminalising the male buyers (male rapists) and providing real support to women and girls in prostitution who wish to exit then nothing will change. Males will continue to believe it is their innate right to sexually prey on so-called ‘dehumanised women and girls’ with impunity because the men in political power are actively supporting mens’ pimp industry.
Shame on the CLP for promoting mens’ lie that women and girls are males’ dehumanised disposable sexual service stations!
Read the Invisible Men Project because these male rapists are boasting to each other the sadistic male sexual violence they routinely inflict on women and girls in mens’ pimp industry. This is the reality of mens’ pimp industry not the myths mens’ pimp industry constantly claims.
http://the-invisible-men.tumblr.com/