Leighton Baker
Auckland, Saturday, February 11, 2017
Would you like your son, or daughter, to work as a prostitute?
I have not met anyone who would, yet in 2003 New Zealand legalised prostitution, therefore saying, “Well, I do not want my child doing it, but yours can!”
Whilst the argument for legalisation was that it would keep the girls safer (and gain some tax revenue), it fails to recognise the emotional and physical harm done to many of those involved.
Figures from 2015 estimated that there are 27,000,000 slaves worldwide, there are more slaves in the world now than ever before in history, and most of them are in the sex industry. The sex industry is closely linked with drugs, but you can only sell and use drugs once, while girls can be sold and abused multiple times, every night.
It is sick.
Nordic Model
The Conservative Party understands that most of the prostitutes are the victims in this multimillion dollar business, and believes that if we really care about the welfare of our citizens, we would prosecute the buyers of sex, rather than the sellers. It is called the ‘Nordic Model’ and has changed the way Swedish people view buying sex.
The recent story of Jessa Dillow Crisp in New Zealand Herald highlights the unseen world of familial trafficking, prostitution and pornography.
It is real, and it is time that we did something about it.
The Conservative Party calls on the government to hold a binding referendum on ‘Should the purchasing of sex be a criminal offence in New Zealand?’ to be held in conjunction with this year’s general election.
We believe the vast majority of Kiwis want a decent society. Let New Zealand’s parents have a say, for once.
Leighton Baker is Leader of the Conservative Party.
