UNSAFE SEX IN NSW BROTHELS

NEWS

By Mary Anne Ghobrial

27/05/2014

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A new report has found that in many of America’s underground brothels sex workers are being coerced into providing payment for the use of condoms, or go without.

 

Chris Seage, the head of NSW’s Brothel Busters is in charge of investigating all brothels in the Sydney region.

 

“I get a lot of inquiries from neighbourhood groups that are concerned about brothels or massage parlours opening up in their areas. And I give advice on what to do and how to interact with councils,” he said.

 

In an interview, Mr Seage said there were many sex workers providing oral sex without condoms. This is a stance he has had since 2012 when he published an opinion piece in Crikey on the brothel industry.

 

“In my view there are many brothels, legal and illegal, and signed prostitutes working from home that are defying [NSW health] guidelines,” he said.

 

“In my view it’s a breach of the occupational health and safety act. And what should the government do? They should stick to their election promise and bring in the brothel licensing authority that’s supposed to regulate legal brothels and wipe out illegal brothels,” Mr Seage said.

 

According to him, there is “no doubt there’s an element of pint in the NSW brothel industry”.

 

But not everyone agrees. Dr Penny Crofts from the University of Technology, Sydney has found the decriminalisation of NSW sex work has resulted in one of the healthiest sex industries documented.

 

“Most of the sex workers I’ve come across have been very articulate, very educated about what the laws are in their area and possibly even tertiary educated as well,” she said.

 

“I do think the NSW model is a good model. It could be better, but it is one of the best in the world,” said Dr Crofts.

 

Mr Seage, however, believes any NSW brothel partaking in unsafe sex practices must be shut down immediately. “It’s a very dangerous situation and one that requires urgent reform by the O’Farrell government.”