PERSISTENT PRAYER AND PRESSURE NEEDED TO KEEP PROSTITUTION FROM BEING LEGALISED

Last Thursday (28 May), I attended the South African Law Reform Commission workshop held in Cape Town in which the 4 possible models for law reform on prostitution were presented.

Options put forward by the Law Commission for comment included maintaining the status quo (criminalization of all aspects of the industry), partial criminalization (criminalizing the solicitors and the buyers), legalization (state regulation of most aspects of the sex industry) and total decriminalization.

The overwhelming majority of those present were Christians, including several ministries who are involved in the prevention of trafficking and helping prostitutes to get out of this exploitative industry.

Part of the workshop involved getting into groups around the 4 different models and discussing if and how the law needs to be changed to help decrease the demand and improve the lives of prostitutes. The biggest group (our group) was in favour of keeping all aspects of the sex industry criminalized.

The group from SWEAT who proposed the decriminalization of prostitution had less than ten supporters and only three people at the workshop supported the legalization of prostitution.
Significantly, this is indicative of the national mood. Our research show the overwhelming majority of South Africans support the total criminalization of the sex industry focusing on the demand with exit programs for women trapped in prostitution.
We believe the best option would be to focus on criminalizing the procurers (brothel owners, pimps etc) and provide exit programs (drug rehabilitation, job skills training) for prostitutes. This way, the women who are usually the victim in the whole scenario, would not get a criminal record. This would help them to start a new life.

Research drawn from nations across the globe show that decriminalized prostitution is a gift to pimps, organized crime & sex traffickers and does nothing to improve the lives of women.
In fact, nations that have either legalized or decriminalized prostitution have a much larger illegal sex industry operating parallel to the ‘regulated’ one and are dominated by organized crime.
Of major concern is the explosion of child prostitution in these ‘regulated’ industries.
The facts are that decriminalized or legalized prostitution does not regulate the sex industry but rather extends it and increases the misery of women and children trapped in this sordid trade.
Family Policy Institute is hosting a workshop to brainstorm the exit programs and to find sustainable solutions to help women and children escape the harm of prostitution
The current 2007 Sexual Offences Amendment Act is sufficient but does need to be changed in terms of policing and court procedures for prostitutes.

I believe having many people present who were equipped with facts about the disastrous impact legalizing prostitution has had on other countries in terms of the increase in trafficking, organized crime and child prostitution, was important in shaping the perceptions of the Law Reform Commission researchers about general public resistance to any moves to legalize prostitution.

There are still several workshops happening in different parts of the country. Anyone can attend. See below for more details.

Errol Naidoo (Family Policy Institute) has recently had several articles published in 3 major newspapers. His article, "Entire Sex Industry Should Be Criminalized" was also published in the Pretoria News, on www.iol.co.za and several other online editions of major newspapers. Please write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper in support of these articles and add any experiences you have of the affect of prostitution on your community or how you have been involved in helping prostitutes to get out of their bondage.

The ANC may have railroaded legislation through in the past but we can make sure that a Bill clarifying the criminalization of the entire sex industry gets to Parliament. A Bill has not been drafted yet. The Law Reform Commission will still need to assess which is the best model once all the submissions have been received.

Our Lord Jesus taught us that we “should always pray and not give up.” In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus taught us that even an unjust judge will give in and do what is right in response to persistent prayer and pressure (Luke 18:1-8).

Are we going to be like the persistent widow, knocking on the door of the judge until true justice is served or are we going to give up and give in to the deceived wishes and worldview of the liberals?

With God all things are possible.

SA Law Reform Commission Releases Discussion Paper on Adult Prostitution for Public Comment

The Law Reform Commission reiterated to the workshop participants that anyone can make a submission. In the summary of the SALRC Discussion paper you will see that questions are posed on each model for you to give your opinion. You do not necessarily need to answer the questions, you could simply send in a summary of your reasons why you believe prostitution should not be decriminalized/ legalized.

Submissions coming from ministries that have experience in helping women leave prostitution, as well as submissions from representatives of communities that have been affected by prostitution would carry weight.

Click here to download the summary of the Law Reform Commission Discussion Paper.

Law Reform Commission workshops are still to be held in:

Mokopane on 11 June 2009 please rsvp before 3 June 2009
Nelspruit on 18 June 2009 please rsvp before 10 June 2009
Mmabatho on 23 June 2009 please rsvp before 15 June 2009
Kimberley 25 June 2009 please rsvp before 16 June 2009
Port Elizabeth on 30 June 2009 please rsvp before 22 June 2009

Kindly rsvp by immediately requesting an invitation to a workshop in your area. Fax it to 086 686 39938 or 086 681 7274 or mail it to capienaar@justice.gov.za, or dclark@justice.gov.za or napillay@justice.gov.za. You may also contact Ms Pillay by telephone (012) 392 9571/40.

The Family Policy Institute has compiled a fact-based summary of key points, detailing the dangers of decriminalising prostitution in South Africa. Please request this document at info@familypolicyinstitute.org.

Take along a copy of this Summary with you to the workshop.

Make copies of this summary and distribute it to your home group/Bible Study, congregation and colleagues.

Use this fact-based summary for Letters to the Editor and radio phone-ins!

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

Taryn Hodgson
Africa Christian Action
PO Box 23632
Claremont
7735
Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: 021-689 4481
E-mail: info@christianaction.org.za
Web: www.christianaction.org.za