The South Australian parliament is set to vote in early 2024 on a bill proposing the Nordic Model approach to sex work, spearheaded by Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council, Nicola Centofanti. Currently, the sale and solicitation of sex is illegal in the state.
The Nordic Model, also known as the Equality Model, partially decriminalises sex work by exempting sellers from penalties while criminalising buyers, procurers, and third-party profiteers. It also includes exit programs for those wishing to leave the industry.
The bill has sparked controversy, with opposition from both those against any decriminalisation and advocates of full decriminalisation. Full decriminalisation is already in place in Victoria, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory, and a similar bill is expected in Queensland in 2024.
A survivor of the sex industry, who published a memoir in 2022, argues that the industry is not a job like any other and constitutes a form of unacceptable work. Proponents of the Nordic Model contend that the sex industry is inherently unsafe and a form of violence against women, regardless of legal status.
Supporters of the Nordic Model aim to reduce the size of the industry through penalties on buyers and procurers, and by offering exit programs. The model has been in place in Sweden since 1999, where it has led to a significant reduction in the sex industry market and deterred traffickers.
