Passed Policies and Progress

UWS Student Union supports the full decriminalisation of sex work, and recognises that the struggle for sex workers rights is intrinsic to empowering these workers, and will seek to ensure it is working with organisations that support models of decriminalisation, and provide safety training to students working with 3rd sector charities that specialise in the field of supporting sex workers.

A couple of months ago an email was sent from a Student Union account to students who were members of liberation groups within the union which advocated for the Nordic model of sex work legislation, which continues to criminalise sex work at the expense of women and minority groups who are already at risk. In order to prevent his from happening again we are putting forward this policy to affirm to the union that the students of UWS support sex workers and their campaign for legal protections and the right to legally unionise.

“UK sex workers have the highest murder rate compared to women in other occupations. It is much safer to work indoors with others but this is illegal. Sex workers are three times more likely to experience rape and other violence in countries where sex work is criminalised.Research shows that where arrests of sex workers and clients were high, less women report violence. In Ireland, reported violent crime against sex workers rose by almost 50% after clients were criminalised. New Zealand decriminalised sex work in 2003 with verifiable success. Over 90% of sex workers said they had additional employment, legal, health and safety rights. 64.8% found it easier to refuse clients and 70% said they were more likely to report incidents of violence to the police.” -English Collective of Prostitutes: https://prostitutescollective.net/facts-about-sex-work-sheet/ 3% of students have participated in sex work, and 9% say they would consider it in a financial emergency. https://www.savethestudent.org/money/surveys/student-money-survey-2021-results.html#earn

Yes