Editorial: Gains and Challenges in the Global Movement for Sex Workers’ Rights

Lepp, Annalee; Gerasimov, Borislav

doi:10.14197/atr.201219121

“…In Malaysia, and elsewhere, migrant sex workers who are 'rescued' are forced to live in 'shelters' while those who 'choose' to work in the establishments will be categorised as offenders and charged in court for two counts -as illegal immigrants and illegal sex workers (Chin, 2013;Lepp & Gerasimov, 2019;The Global Network of Sex Work Projects, 2011). Thus, sex workers groups such as The Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) critique such form of 'rescue' and argue that the raids on workplaces and establishments that offer sexual services are carried out in the name of trafficking but are aimed at eradicating sex work (The Global Network of Sex Work Projects, 2011).…”

Section: Terms and Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This compromises women's access to support and services (Ibid). Thus, the sex worker rights movement (particularly in the global south) have continuously demanded recognition of sexual labour as labour: they challenge stigma, discrimination and all forms of violence, including by law enforcement; they seek to improve working conditions; lobby for full human, social, and labour rights; advocate for the decriminalisation of sex work; and provide peer-based support and services (Lepp & Gerasimov, 2019). According to them, any policy designed to fight human trafficking must extend beyond criminalising traffickers to reinforce the rights of immigrants and workers (Ehrenreich & Hochschild, 2002).…”

Section: Terms and Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is because such stories could capture the attention of the public and policy makers and justify draconian solutions (Cwikel & Hoban, 2005;Weitzer, 2007). Although there are cases of horrendous abuse (Kelly, 2003), the use of highly emotive images does not capture or reflect the ambiguous realities of the womens' lives and the purpose of their involvement in sex work (Lepp & Gerasimov, 2019). Besides, many women are well aware of the nature of their job and have voluntarily migrated for the purpose of sex work (Cwikel & Hoban, 2005).…”

Section: Terms and Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Sex trafficking, victimisation and agency: The experiences of migrant women in Malaysia

Hamid¹

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

<p>Malaysia has criminalised sex work. However, its geographic location, porous borders and proximity to major trade and traffic routes have ensured a growth in sex trafficking activities. As a result, the ‘United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’ and the ‘United States Trafficking in Persons Report’ have categorised Malaysia as a destination, transit and source point for sex trafficking in Asia. In response to such categorisations, Malaysia has ratified the (Palermo) ‘Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children’ and structured its anti-trafficking laws around prosecution, protection and prevention (referred to as the ‘3P’ policy). This thesis shows that the enforcement of victim-protection policies is carried out in contradictory ways in Malaysia. Trafficked women are portrayed as victims in need of care and protection, but also as individuals who have violated immigration laws and engaged in ‘immoral’ acts. This results in state practices that (re)victimise women through policing, immigration and court processes which are often deeply stressful, traumatising and violent. Punitive practices – including ‘state and rescue’ operations and long-term detention – have been legitimised and branded as ‘victim protection’. In this context, the thesis argues that current policies and practices represent a continuing form of violence against migrant women in Malaysia. Based on in-depth qualitative interviews, the thesis draws upon the stories of twenty-nine women who have been arrested and detained on the basis of their sex trafficked status as well as the perspectives of twelve anti-trafficking professionals involved in delivering the 3P policy. In doing so, the thesis shows how women are subject to prolonged victimisation at the hands of both traffickers and state authorities. However, it also provides an understanding of the ways in which ‘sex-trafficked’ women exercise courage, strength and resiliency in the face of the continuing harms against them. By demonstrating the nuances of agency throughout women’s migration experiences, the thesis challenges the stereotypical understanding of an ‘ideal’ victim of trafficking – commonly linked to images of passivity, weakness and worthiness. By providing an insight into women’s experiences of sex-trafficking and state ‘protection’, the thesis develops a more nuanced account of agency. Thus, the thesis argues that the state’s prevention of sex-trafficking as well as the protection of trafficked women cannot be progressively advanced without a fuller appreciation of women’s dual ‘victim’ and ‘agent’ identities. The thesis explores the implications of these findings on developing ‘anti-sex trafficking’ policies towards women in Malaysia.</p>

show abstract

“…Definitions of sex trafficking have coalesced around contested positions on issues of sex work, individual agency, and consent (Lee, 2011a). For example, sex worker organisations in Spain, Thailand, and India have argued that trafficking is an issue introduced (or imposed) from outside the industry itself, propelled by a moralistic agenda (Lepp & Gerasimov, 2019). In this instance, anti-sex work activists seek to generate widespread public concern about the trafficking problem and lobby political elites to either intensify punishment of offenders or criminalise commercial sex (Weitzer, 2007).…”

Section: Terms and Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…surveillance on the sex industry and frequent raids on sex work establishments (Lepp & Gerasimov, 2019;The Global Network of Sex Work Projects, 2011). However, such measures have resulted in the conflation of trafficking and the voluntary movement of women across borders for the purposes of sex work (Bertone, 2004;Chapkis, 2003).…”

Section: Terms and Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex trafficking, victimisation and agency: The experiences of migrant women in Malaysia

Hamid¹

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

<p>Malaysia has criminalised sex work. However, its geographic location, porous borders and proximity to major trade and traffic routes have ensured a growth in sex trafficking activities. As a result, the ‘United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’ and the ‘United States Trafficking in Persons Report’ have categorised Malaysia as a destination, transit and source point for sex trafficking in Asia. In response to such categorisations, Malaysia has ratified the (Palermo) ‘Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children’ and structured its anti-trafficking laws around prosecution, protection and prevention (referred to as the ‘3P’ policy). This thesis shows that the enforcement of victim-protection policies is carried out in contradictory ways in Malaysia. Trafficked women are portrayed as victims in need of care and protection, but also as individuals who have violated immigration laws and engaged in ‘immoral’ acts. This results in state practices that (re)victimise women through policing, immigration and court processes which are often deeply stressful, traumatising and violent. Punitive practices – including ‘state and rescue’ operations and long-term detention – have been legitimised and branded as ‘victim protection’. In this context, the thesis argues that current policies and practices represent a continuing form of violence against migrant women in Malaysia. Based on in-depth qualitative interviews, the thesis draws upon the stories of twenty-nine women who have been arrested and detained on the basis of their sex trafficked status as well as the perspectives of twelve anti-trafficking professionals involved in delivering the 3P policy. In doing so, the thesis shows how women are subject to prolonged victimisation at the hands of both traffickers and state authorities. However, it also provides an understanding of the ways in which ‘sex-trafficked’ women exercise courage, strength and resiliency in the face of the continuing harms against them. By demonstrating the nuances of agency throughout women’s migration experiences, the thesis challenges the stereotypical understanding of an ‘ideal’ victim of trafficking – commonly linked to images of passivity, weakness and worthiness. By providing an insight into women’s experiences of sex-trafficking and state ‘protection’, the thesis develops a more nuanced account of agency. Thus, the thesis argues that the state’s prevention of sex-trafficking as well as the protection of trafficked women cannot be progressively advanced without a fuller appreciation of women’s dual ‘victim’ and ‘agent’ identities. The thesis explores the implications of these findings on developing ‘anti-sex trafficking’ policies towards women in Malaysia.</p>

show abstract

10 Human Trafficking in Migration Pathways: Trends, Challenges and New Forms of Cooperation

Bauloz¹,

McAdam

²

,

Teye

³

2022

World Migration Report

4

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Editorial: Gains and Challenges in the Global Movement for Sex Workers’ Rights

Cited by 9 publications

References 11 publications

Sex trafficking, victimisation and agency: The experiences of migrant women in Malaysia

Sex trafficking, victimisation and agency: The experiences of migrant women in Malaysia

Sex trafficking, victimisation and agency: The experiences of migrant women in Malaysia

10 Human Trafficking in Migration Pathways: Trends, Challenges and New Forms of Cooperation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About