It was estimated that approximately 350 foreign sex workers attempted to enter New Zealand in the last three years. Another important detail is that 38 of them were kicked out of the country. The Immigration Office of New Zealand declared that between July 2015 and October 2018, a number of 353 suspicious persons were stopped to enter New Zealand. The boarding procedure of another 28 suspects was denied. The authorities have also discovered that 38 persons who had temporary visas were sex workers. The Immigration Office started the procedures regarding deportation. Among the deported persons, there were two Chinese nationals, who were working in an unauthorized brothel.
Some persons consider this legislation too restrictive
An anonymous person informed the Immigration Department regarding the illegal business that was operating out of Huff St property. According to the Prostitution Reform Act 2003, it is forbidden for the migrants to work in the sex industry. The main objective of this law is to prevent sex trafficking and to protect the vulnerable persons who come to New Zealand.
Some persons believe the Prostitution Reform Act should be re-written by the Government. Different groups which support the sex workers consider the law is too restrictive and the brothels should be allowed to operate both in Queenstown and Wanaka. Catherine Healy, the co-founder of Prostitutes’ Collective has mentioned the current legislation is too problematic and this is the reason why the sex industry was pushed underground. A known businessman from Queenstown, said the sex industry is on demand and the local authorities should be supportive with the persons who want to run brothels. As long as everything is legal and all the procedures are respected, it shouldn’t be any problem.
The authorities try to find a solution
If the local authorities don’t take the appropriate measures, unauthorized brothels will continue to operate and vulnerable women may be at risk. It is very clear all these sex workers come from poor countries and they would do anything for a better life. Many people believe the prostitution has also positive aspects. Without this industry, there would be more domestic abuses and rapes. The best solution is to analyze every detail and to take into consideration different points of view.
On the other hand, sex trafficking is a scourge and the ones who exploit weak women are the lowest form of humanity. Another important fact is that street prostitution is dominating this business because of its visibility. One of the negative aspects is the migrant sex workers who are victims of violence, or who are treated unfairly, can’t report these actions to the police because they are afraid of deportation. This way, they are forced to endure cruel treatments.
Conclusion
Being a sex worker is harmful both physically and mentally. This is the reason why we should be supportive with the women who are trying to quit. The main problem is that a lot of prostitutes are afraid to ask for help because they are ashamed of their work. The community also plays an important role regarding this problem. Any suspicious illegal activity should be reported to the police. This way, human trafficking will decrease.
People must understand that brothels should be able to operate as long as the sex workers are treated in a proper manner and their rights are respected. It is an intense debate on this topic and we will continue to provide new information.
