Sex trafficking is a highly sensationalised issue, with the media portraying women as deceived, kidnapped or slaves. This detracts from the reality of women who are trafficked for sexual servitude in Australia. A large of majority of women who are trafficked come willingly and with full knowledge they will be sex workers once in Australia. The deception these women face is largely around the working conditions and issues of debt bondage. The women who are trafficked face extremely long working hours, unsafe sex, a lack of or minimal freedom, and even if granted freedom, are faced with threats about going to authorities. In Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales where prostitution is legalised, women who are sex workers should be afforded the same rights as workers in other industries. Women who are trafficked are working illegally, therefore are not afforded these rights, leaving them in a very vulnerable position. Sex trafficking can be viewed as an issue stemming from inequality, both due to gender and social economic. Intersectional analysis is required to fully understand the reasons for sex trafficking and to help understand the implications for social work. The adoption of neoliberalism has increased inequality on a global scale, both within nations and between nations. Sex trafficking can be understood as a response to this inequality. Globalisation has facilitated sex trafficking. From a social work perspective, identifying sex trafficked women is important to provide the appropriate forms of intervention, which may differ from those provided to other types of sex workers.
There are other issues present as well, such as feminist and gender issues. Though I need to complete more study on these. A feminist perspective is pertinent in this thesis, as it will help to shape and understand sex trafficking as a feminist issue. Interventions based on feminist theory can also be used to help empower women. Sex work positive literature will be referred to, as it will help to move beyond the notion that these women are completely passive victims, but understand their choice to work as sex workers, and provide the correct interventions to ensure their safety.
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