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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.'
STV News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Bill to criminalise those buying sex branded ‘dangerous' by sex workers
Sex workers have warned that a bid to criminalise those who use their services could be 'disastrous' for their safety. The new Scotland for Decrim campaign has been set up to oppose Alba MSP Ash Regan's 'dangerous' bid to change the law – which seeks to decriminalise those selling sexual services at the same time as making buying such services a criminal offence. Regan is due to speak about her proposed Prostitution (Offences And Support) (Scotland) at Holyrood on Tuesday. She said: 'Ending prostitution is essential to achieving true equality between the sexes. A society that allows women's bodies to be bought and sold cannot claim to value them as equals. 'Challenging the demand that fuels sexual exploitation is not just about justice — it's about dignity, safety, and the right of all women, girls, and vulnerable men to live free from commodification and harm.' But a spokesperson for the Scotland for Decrim campaign said that it 'absolutely rejects Ash Regan's attempts to bring in the Nordic Model on sex work in Scotland'. Sex workers have 'experienced more violence from clients and the police' in countries where this system is in place, the spokesperson added. The group, which described itself as a sex worker-led coalition, went on to state that 'this offensive Bill will endanger sex workers by exposing us to more violence, poverty, and exploitation'. The spokesperson said: 'Criminalising clients does not solve the reasons why people go into sex work: because of financial need, caring responsibilities, disability, or simply preferring this work to other kinds of work. 'Sex workers are the experts on our own needs. We know that only full decriminalisation will protect our safety, health, and human rights, giving us the power to choose when and how we work. 'This Nordic Model bill would be disastrous for sex workers' safety, as we have seen in other countries where this model has been implemented and sex workers have experienced more violence from clients and the police. 'Sex workers don't want this, the Scottish public doesn't want this, and politicians from a range of parties oppose this dangerous Bill.' A YouGov poll last year found almost half (47%) of Scots believe it should be legal for someone to pay another person to have sex with them, although 32% said this should not be legal. National Ugly Mugs (NUM), the UK's national sex worker safety charity, also raised concerns about Regan's Bill. Chief executive Lynsey Walton said: 'This Bill won't reduce harm, it will increase it. 'Criminalising the purchase of sex doesn't protect anyone. It pushes sex work further underground, makes it harder for people to report violence, and forces those already at risk into even more dangerous situations. 'NUM stands in solidarity with sex workers across Scotland who are calling for safety, not criminalisation. We hear every day what they need: access to justice, housing, healthcare, and a voice in the laws that shape their lives. This Bill ignores that – and it puts lives at risk.' Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the English Collective of Prostitutes, which represents sex workers across the UK, said: 'If Ash Regan wants to reduce prostitution she should look at reducing women's poverty, and specifically mothers' poverty, which is pushing more and more women into prostitution. 'Criminalisation of sex work increases violence and discrimination against sex workers. We want decriminalisation so that women are no longer branded as criminals for working to feed themselves and their families.' However, the group A Model for Scotland – an alliance of organisations that seek to support women exploited through prostitution – urged MSPs to back Ms Regan's Bill. It wants Scotland to 'follow the lead of countries including Sweden, Ireland and France by outlawing paying for sex, decriminalising individuals who 'sell' sex and providing support for individuals to leave the sex trade'. Chair Diane Martin told how she had been 'exploited through supposed 'high class' prostitution in the UK then trafficked overseas' and said change is 'long overdue'. She stated: 'There is overwhelming evidence of the control, violence and terror experienced by the vast majority of women and girls exploited through prostitution in Scotland. 'It is long overdue that those suffering in this oppressive and violent system are not criminalised for their own abuse and that instead the focus be shifted to those creating the demand and those financially benefiting from it, so that they are the ones facing criminal accountability and consequences.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
