Latest news with #NordicModel
The Herald Scotland
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Regan Nordic Model Bill 'targets demand, protects women'
READ MORE Writing in The Herald, Karen Miller, a trustee of the religious group, said the law must recognise that prostitution is 'the exploitation of the vulnerable, who usually have little to no choice about it.' 'It is trafficking victims hidden in brothels up and down the country who have never been surveyed about whether they are in favour of being raped multiple times a day, but from the testimony of the lucky ones who escaped, we know that they did not choose this life,' she wrote. 'We should listen to their voices and do what we can to reduce the risk of women, men and children being trapped in prostitution.' Her comments come as MSPs prepare to debate Ash Regan's Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill when Parliament returns in the autumn. The draft legislation — which has cross-party support — would introduce what is known as the Nordic Model, criminalising the purchase of sex but decriminalising its sale. Those convicted of buying sex could be fined up to £10,000 and face jail sentences of up to six months. Ms Regan believes this would reduce demand and make it safer and easier for sex workers or prostitutes to approach the police if they have been victims of crime. The Bill would also give women a statutory right to support to exit the industry. Ms Regan's bill would criminalise the purchase of sex but decriminalise its sale (Image: PA) Sex workers who oppose the legislation — which the Alba MSP has dubbed the 'Unbuyable Bill' — have warned it could be 'disastrous' for their safety. Last month, members of the Scotland for Decrim campaign, which was established to oppose Ms Regan's proposals, told The Herald on Sunday they believed criminalising 'clients' would drive them underground, increasing dangers, and ultimately making it harder for sex workers to leave the industry. Ms Miller disagreed. She said it was impossible to 'decriminalise prostitution without enabling further exploitation'. She added: 'It is a sad reality that abused and exploited young people are far more representative of the average 'sex worker' than escorts taking credit card payments from their clients. 'Men who buy sex are more likely than other men to rape and commit other acts of sexual violence. 'They often see prostitutes as being fundamentally different from other women and treat them accordingly. 'Verbal abuse and spitting are par for the course. Escorts may be able to refuse a client on these grounds, but most women do not have that choice. Even those in the most privileged position find their carefully drawn boundaries violated. 'Selling sex is never safe; buying sex is never a neutral act.' READ MORE While she acknowledged the Nordic Model was not a perfect solution, she said it was 'the best option available to us if we want to be a society that values the safety and dignity of everyone'. Lynsey Walton, of Scotland for Decrim, said Ms Miller's faith meant her perspective was skewed. She said: 'Religious organisations like Restore Glasgow often see sex workers as 'fallen women' who need saving, which is why few sex workers will engage with them and why their experience in the sector is limited to only a small subsection of those carrying out sex work. 'While sex workers do experience violence and exploitation, it is a simple fact that not all sex workers are trafficked or coerced, as our 10,000-plus sex worker members across the UK will attest. 'All groups representing sex workers, alongside international NGOs such as Amnesty, the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS, agree that the Nordic Model makes life more difficult and dangerous for sex workers, by pushing the industry underground.' Ms Regan said: 'Restore Glasgow and other frontline support services do not have the luxury of being comforted into inaction by pimp lobby PR framing of 'empowerment' and 'work like any other'. 'These services deal with the reality and consequences of the global trade in commercial sexual exploitation, inflicted on vulnerable young lives every single day. 'All frontline services that responded to my Unbuyable Bill consultation supported it, some giving detailed insights into the harrowing realities. 'I have a question for those conveniently ignoring the consultation's recommendations from our frontline support services, as they predictably try to discredit me and my Unbuyable Bill. 'If you want to feel worthy by 'giving a voice' to a select group of interested parties, why not platform the men who buy sex or those who profit from trading others? 'Let's hear their arguments for their 'right to buy' access to vulnerable women, girls and men's bodies.'
Scotsman
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Ash Regan's Prostitution Bill is drawing some strange opposition
A UN expert has backed a bid by Alba MSP Ash Regan to criminalise those buying sex at the same time as decriminalising those selling it. Pictute: Yui Mok/PA Wire Former Edinburgh MP Joanna Cherry is clearly fed up with politicians who are more interested in getting social media likes than the hard work of policy making. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Last week she took to X (formerly Twitter) to chastise them and she didn't mince her words. '…Voters are sick of politicians with no life experience virtue signalling…while wholly failing to meaningfully address everyday issues…' She was referring to Emma Roddick, an SNP MSP well known for her large collection of campaign lanyards and fashionable causes, but she could just as well have been talking about any number of politicians, from backbenchers to government ministers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Take Siobhian Brown for example. She is Scotland's Community Safety minister, a role once held by Edinburgh Eastern MSP Ash Regan, before she resigned in protest at the SNP's Gender Recognition Reform Bill. Ash Regan is steering a private member's bill through Holyrood, which if passed would criminalise the buying of sex. This approach to prostitution is called the Nordic Model, which the Scottish Government largely supports, so the average voter would expect Siobhian Brown to back her erstwhile colleague's bill. But in a letter to the parliament's criminal justice committee, the minister has expressed deep misgivings. She wrote, 'There remain significant questions and concerns regarding the measures within the Bill and how they would work in practice, the extent to which they would deliver on the policy intent…' A more cynical observer might suggest that Brown's objection to Ash Regan's bill is more about internal party politics than effective lawmaking. After all, Regan left the SNP and is now a member of ALBA – but I wouldn't dream of making that connection. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But if Siobhian Brown's concerns are genuine, and not just sour grapes, then that begs the question about her government's previous support for the Nordic Model. Was that just another case of virtual signalling? Talking of which, Chris Murray, the Labour MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, was the only Scottish MP to sign a letter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) last week, accusing the organisation of causing 'distress and confusion' among people who identify as transgender. The letter, drafted by another MP, one Tony Vaughan, is a response to the Supreme Court's recent ruling that, in the 2010 Equality Act, sex means biological sex. It seems that Murray and the other signatories think this is harmful. Clearly Chris Murray forget to check the Labour Party's official position before adding his name to the letter. The party's manifesto, published in advance of last year's general election when Murray was elected, states Labour is 'proud of our Equality Act and the rights and protections it affords women; we will continue to support the implementation of its single-sex exceptions.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chris Murray is a young politician, full of enthusiasm for his new job, but I hope he learns quickly that real life is not the same as student politics. He could start by reaching out to his geographical colleague, Ash Regan, and offering to support her campaign to end the purchase of sex and the exploitation of women. It would be more challenging than signing a round robin letter, but it would be an act of political courage.
Channel 4
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Channel 4
Should it be illegal to pay for sex in Scotland?
At the moment it is more likely that people who sell sex will be prosecuted than their clients. An attempt is being made at the Scottish Parliament to reverse this and shift the focus onto buyers. There is no ban on the sale and purchase of sex. But soliciting in public and running a brothel are against the law. Buyers face sanctions for kerb crawling. An approach known as 'the Nordic Model'. It was pioneered in Sweden. Other countries, including Norway, Canada and Northern Ireland, have adopted variations of it. It shifts the focus of criminalisation from those selling sex to those buying it. Services and support are offered to those who wish to exit the sex trade. Some women who sell sex say criminalising clients will put them more at risk of violence by driving the industry underground. Channel 4 News has spoken to women who are fighting for full decriminalisation instead. Laura Baillie from Scotland for Decrim told us the bill does not address why people go into the industry. 'The underlying reasons of people entering sex work are not being discussed by this bill. Things like poverty, homelessness, the cost of living crisis.' Others welcome the proposals. Fiona Broadfoot was trafficked as a teenager and now helps other women leave the industry. 'Come out of the dark shadows, men, admit what you are doing,' she says. 'It is violence against women and girls, it is not a job like any other. It is not sex and it is not work.' Alba MSP Ash Regan was able to introduce this bill to the Scottish Parliament after securing initial support from 24 MSPs across different parties. No Lib Dem or Scottish Green MSP backed the proposal. 'I'm not trying to put loads of people in prison. What I am trying to do is change the culture so it acts as a deterrent and men no longer feel it is acceptable to go buy sex.' Currently, the bill is only at stage one, which means it is being looked at by the Criminal Justice Committee at the Scottish Parliament. Ash Regan believes there is time for it to be voted on before May 2026, when the next Scottish Parliament election is due. Number of deaths in Scottish prisons hits record high Head of Scottish prisons says service should not be immune from prosecution UK's first drug consumption room set to open in Glasgow
Scotsman
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Ash Regan's Prostitution Bill is drawing some stange opposition
A UN expert has backed a bid by Alba MSP Ash Regan to criminalise those buying sex at the same time as decriminalising those selling it. Pictute: Yui Mok/PA Wire Former Edinburgh MP Joanna Cherry is clearly fed up with politicians who are more interested in getting social media likes than the hard work of policy making. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Last week she took to X (formerly Twitter) to chastise them and she didn't mince her words. '…Voters are sick of politicians with no life experience virtue signalling…while wholly failing to meaningfully address everyday issues…' She was referring to Emma Roddick, an SNP MSP well known for her large collection of campaign lanyards and fashionable causes, but she could just as well have been talking about any number of politicians, from backbenchers to government ministers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Take Siobhian Brown for example. She is Scotland's Community Safety minister, a role once held by Edinburgh Eastern MSP Ash Regan, before she resigned in protest at the SNP's Gender Recognition Reform Bill. Ash Regan is steering a private member's bill through Holyrood, which if passed would criminalise the buying of sex. This approach to prostitution is called the Nordic Model, which the Scottish Government largely supports, so the average voter would expect Siobhian Brown to back her erstwhile colleague's bill. But in a letter to the parliament's criminal justice committee, the minister has expressed deep misgivings. She wrote, 'There remain significant questions and concerns regarding the measures within the Bill and how they would work in practice, the extent to which they would deliver on the policy intent…' A more cynical observer might suggest that Brown's objection to Ash Regan's bill is more about internal party politics than effective lawmaking. After all, Regan left the SNP and is now a member of ALBA – but I wouldn't dream of making that connection. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But if Siobhian Brown's concerns are genuine, and not just sour grapes, then that begs the question about her government's previous support for the Nordic Model. Was that just another case of virtual signalling? Talking of which, Chris Murray, the Labour MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, was the only Scottish MP to sign a letter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) last week, accusing the organisation of causing 'distress and confusion' among people who identify as transgender. The letter, drafted by another MP, one Tony Vaughan, is a response to the Supreme Court's recent ruling that, in the 2010 Equality Act, sex means biological sex. It seems that Murray and the other signatories think this is harmful. Clearly Chris Murray forget to check the Labour Party's official position before adding his name to the letter. The party's manifesto, published in advance of last year's general election when Murray was elected, states Labour is 'proud of our Equality Act and the rights and protections it affords women; we will continue to support the implementation of its single-sex exceptions.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chris Murray is a young politician, full of enthusiasm for his new job, but I hope he learns quickly that real life is not the same as student politics. He could start by reaching out to his geographical colleague, Ash Regan, and offering to support her campaign to end the purchase of sex and the exploitation of women. It would be more challenging than signing a round robin letter, but it would be an act of political courage.
Times
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Ban on buying sex will have ‘limited impact' against exploitation
Banning the purchase of sex would have limited impact on stopping trafficking and sexual exploitation, claims Scottish government research as MSPs prepare to scrutinise Ash Regan's prostitution bill. The Alba Party MSP's proposed law sets out to criminalise those buying sex while decriminalising those selling it, known as the Nordic model. Under the proposals, those convicted of buying sex could be fined up to £10,000 if the case is prosecuted in the sheriff courts, which could also impose jail sentences of up to six months. The legislation also proposes quashing convictions for those involved in prostitution. However, a research paper published by the Scottish government, to inform its trafficking and exploitation strategy, has found the measures set out in Regan's bill would have a limited effect on stopping the activity. The paper acknowledges that there are 'notable evidence gaps' behind claims by supporters of the bill that prosecuting buyers of sex would reduce exploitation in Scotland, in particular in relation to prevention. The research comes after independent reviews carried out for the Irish and Northern Irish governments, which have both criminalised the purchase of sex, reported that the Nordic model had not reduced the demand for sexual services. The Scottish government report authors wrote: 'Much of the literature reviewed focuses on criminal justice interventions. This tends to focus on the effectiveness of preventative measures which aim to reduce demand for prostitution (eg via deterrence). The evidence reviewed suggests that such measures may have limited impact on preventing trafficking and sexual exploitation.' • 'We were like pieces of meat': ex-sex worker backs prostitution law Sex worker groups, led by National Ugly Mugs, the UK's national sex worker safety charity, have warned that criminalising those who purchase sex has no effect on stopping exploitation. They believe the law would simply make life more difficult and dangerous for sex workers, by pushing the industry underground. Lynsey Walton, chief executive of National Ugly Mugs, said: 'Sex worker groups, alongside leading NGOs like Amnesty and the World Health Organisation, have long warned that criminalising the purchase of sex only serves to make life more difficult and dangerous for sex workers, while having no impact on trafficking and exploitation. 'We are pleased that the Scottish government has now accepted that the international evidence backs this up. MSPs now need to pull the plug on Ms Regan's misguided and dangerous legislation, and focus on supporting sex workers' rights to work safely and free from stigma.' • 'I regret approving saunas when I knew they were brothels' Siobhian Brown, the community safety minister, has highlighted 'significant and deep concerns' about the bill. She insisted that quashing convictions — as proposed for those involved in prostitution — was an 'exceptional' measure and 'not a step that can be taken lightly'. While Brown acknowledged Holyrood had passed legislation to quash convictions of those caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal, she said the cost of this was 'estimated to be £804,000 based on 200 people'. She noted that documents submitted as part of Regan's Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill suggested that 10,459 women had been convicted of soliciting since 1982. With these documents also indicating that Police Scotland 'currently holds 2,773 case records involving 791 individuals', Brown said this 'raises some concerns about the accuracy of the associated costs — around £250,000 — detailed in the bill's financial memorandum'. Her comments came in a letter to Holyrood's criminal justice committee, which is due to scrutinise the legislation proposed by the Alba MSP. Brown said there was 'insufficient detail' on how proposals to provide support to those involved in prostitution to help them change their lifestyle would work in practice, including how long such measures would be available and what the costs would be. She stressed that while the Scottish government backed the 'underlying intent of the bill to challenge men's demand and to tackle commercial sexual exploitation', she added there were still 'significant questions and concerns regarding the measures within the bill and how they would work in practice, the extent to which they would deliver on the policy intent, and the associated financial implications'.
