As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the globe, sex workers are mostly being forgotten about in government responses. This week the Guardian published a report on the experiences of sex workers in New Zealand, outlining their access to emergency wage subsidies and other state benefits. The article also illustrates the benefits of decriminalisation within the context of the current crisis and why sex work should be seen as any other form of work.
In New Zealand, sex work is seen as any other form of work under the country’s decriminalisation model, which was developed with input from sex workers themselves and became law in 2003. As the coronavirus impacts country after country, exposing deep-seated inequalities and further marginalising vulnerable workers, New Zealand’s policy framework has helped sex workers, in contrast, find financial security and safety during this time of crisis.
You can read the full article on the Guardian's website.
You can read more about New Zealand's sex work laws on our Global Mapping of Sex Work Laws.