#12 Full decriminalisation so that no sex worker is left behind - with Dylan O'Hara (Vixen Collective)

<p>Today I am speaking to Dylan from Vixen Collective, Victoria&rsquo;s peer only sex work organisation, as recognised by Scarlet Alliance, Australian Sex Worker Association. Vixen Collective promote the cultural, legal, human, occupational and civil rights of sex workers. Most recently you might have heard from them during their Victorian campaign to fully decriminalise sex work.</p> <p>The conversation today was illuminating. There are few areas where regulation does a more damaging and discriminatory job than sex work in Victoria. The laws do not work, and need to be repealed and replaced with a fully-decriminalised approach to regulating sex-work. Dylan steps us through these changes, explaining why full decriminalisation is so important, but also, they help reframe some of the assumptions that underpin debates.</p> <p>What came through clearly is that we have got to get our discriminatory laws and attitudes out of their way, because sex workers are the experts in their industry and experience &ndash; they know what to do. I think you&rsquo;ll learn a lot from this instalment. Enjoy.</p> <p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Why regulation matters to the sex work community (2:00)</li> <li>An update on the <em>Sex Work Decriminalisation Bill 2021 </em>before Parliament (8:00)</li> <li>Explaining what sex work decriminalisation is (12:00)</li> <li>The steps beyond decriminalisation (16:30)</li> <li>Stigma and discrimination as ongoing barriers to full citizenship (22:00)</li> <li>How we can reframe debates about sex work to focus on human rights (27:45)</li> <li>What listeners can do (33:00)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Show notes:</strong></p> <p>Learn more about Vixen Collective&rsquo;s policy asks from their <em>No Sex Worker Left Behind </em>campaign: <a href="https://www.vixencollective.org/campaigns">https://www.vixencollective.org/campaigns</a>.</p> <p>Check out this briefing paper from Scarlett Alliance:&nbsp;<a href="https://scarletalliance.org.au/library/briefing_paper_full_decrim">http