scholarly journals My Body, My Business: New Zealand Sex Workers in an Era of Change.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fairleigh Gilmour
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Oral History ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Life Stories ◽  
Discursive Space ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Lively Debate ◽  
Oral History Interviews

Sex work is often a topic of lively debate, both in academic and public settings, with discussions around morality, laws and exploitation often creating a noisy discursive space. What is often missing in these discussions is the voices of sex workers themselves, particularly such a diverse range of voices as those found in Caren Wilton’s collection, My Body, My Business: New Zealand Sex Workers in an Era of Change. This book is a collection of eleven life stories from current and former sex workers in New Zealand, based on a series of oral history interviews conducted by Wilton (an oral historian) between 2009 and 2018, framed by simple yet evocative photographs taken by Madeleine Slavick.

scholarly journals Unfinished Decriminalization: The Impact of Section 19 of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 on Migrant Sex Workers’ Rights and Lives in Aotearoa New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 179
Author(s):  
Calum Bennachie ◽  
Annah Pickering ◽  
Jenny Lee ◽  
P. G. Macioti ◽  
Nicola Mai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Interview Data ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Fear Of Deportation ◽  
Permanent Residency ◽  
The Impact

In 2003, Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) passed the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 (PRA), which decriminalized sex work for NZ citizens and holders of permanent residency (PR) while excluding migrant sex workers (MSWs) from its protection. This is due to Section 19 (s19) of the PRA, added at the last minute against advice by the Aotearoa New Zealand Sex Workers’ Collective (NZPC) as an anti-trafficking clause. Because of s19, migrants on temporary visas found to be working as sex workers are liable to deportation by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Drawing on original ethnographic and interview data gathered over 24 months of fieldwork, our study finds that migrant sex workers in New Zealand are vulnerable to violence and exploitation, and are too afraid to report these to the police for fear of deportation, corroborating earlier studies and studies completed while we were collecting data.

Stigma, decriminalisation, and violence against street-based sex workers: Changing the narrative

Sexualities ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1288-1308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynzi Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Worker Rights ◽  
Sex Worker ◽  
Multiple Risks ◽  
Ongoing Work ◽  
Starting Point

It is well documented that sex workers manage risks in their work – such as the potential for violence and the multiple risks associated with stigma. While sex workers are commonly understood to be a stigmatised population, few studies have considered in depth how stigma operates in different legislative contexts, how it relates to sex-worker safety, and how it may be reduced. Stigma is understood to be exacerbated by the criminalisation of sex work, which defines sex workers as deviant others and consequently renders them more vulnerable to violence. However, as full decriminalisation of sex work is still relatively rare, there has been little in-depth exploration into the relationship between this legislative approach, risks of violence, and stigma. Drawing on the findings of in-depth interviews with street-based sex workers and sex-worker rights advocates, in this article I explore the links between stigma and violence, and discuss the challenges of reducing stigma associated with sex work in New Zealand, post-decriminalisation. I argue that while decriminalisation has undoubtedly benefited sex workers in New Zealand, stigma continues to have a negative impact – particularly for street-based sex workers. Decriminalisation should therefore be considered an essential starting point. However, ongoing work must focus on countering stigmatising narratives, to enable a safer society for all sex workers.

scholarly journals Why Family Memories and Stories Matter

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Green
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Oral History ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Memory Studies ◽  
European Descent ◽  
Multigenerational Families ◽  
Family Memories ◽  
Oral History Interviews ◽  
Funded Research Project

Comparatively little is known about the content and form of family memory among Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) in contrast to the centrality of whakapapa/genealogy in mātauranga Māori. To address this lacuna, the Marsden-funded research project “The Missing Link” recorded oral history interviews with sixty multigenerational families descended from European migrants who arrived in New Zealand before 1914. We asked our participants what they knew about their family past, the stories that had been passed down, and why particular ancestors interested them. The analysis of these oral history interviews is in progress. This article focuses on the decision to employ a mixed methods research methodology, including an analytical conceptual framework drawn from memory studies, and draws some preliminary conclusions regarding the Pākehā family as a mnemonic community.

scholarly journals The Chinese Jamaican Oral History Project

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Clarkson Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Oral History ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Online Archive ◽  
Digital Stories ◽  
Oral History Interview ◽  
Oral History Interviews

The Chinese Jamaican Oral History Project is an initiative that aims to record and preserve memories and stories from the Chinese Jamaican community in Toronto. Its two distinct components are: (1) an online archive of audio-recorded oral history interviews, narrator portraits, and other images; and (2) an exhibition made from the contents of that archive. Specifically, the exhibition is comprised of twelve digital stories -- one for each of the narrators who has participated in the project so far. In every case, a soundbite has been selected to represent the complete oral history interview (which is archived online in full). Together with the images, these voices tell a story of the Chinese Jamaican community in Toronto, while also underscoring the diverse range of individual experiences within it.

scholarly journals The Chinese Jamaican Oral History Project

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Clarkson Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Oral History ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Online Archive ◽  
Digital Stories ◽  
Oral History Interview ◽  
Oral History Interviews

The Chinese Jamaican Oral History Project is an initiative that aims to record and preserve memories and stories from the Chinese Jamaican community in Toronto. Its two distinct components are: (1) an online archive of audio-recorded oral history interviews, narrator portraits, and other images; and (2) an exhibition made from the contents of that archive. Specifically, the exhibition is comprised of twelve digital stories -- one for each of the narrators who has participated in the project so far. In every case, a soundbite has been selected to represent the complete oral history interview (which is archived online in full). Together with the images, these voices tell a story of the Chinese Jamaican community in Toronto, while also underscoring the diverse range of individual experiences within it.

scholarly journals Managing Risks of Violence in Decriminalised Street-Based Sex Work: a Feminist (Sex Worker Rights) Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lynzi Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Worker Rights ◽  
Sex Worker ◽  
Risk Management Strategies ◽  
The Law

<p>It is widely understood that street-based sex workers are vulnerable to experiencing violence in their work. The Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) was passed in New Zealand in 2003, decriminalising sex work with the intention of supporting the health, safety, and human rights of sex workers. This thesis explores strategies to manage risks of violence amongst women working on the streets in New Zealand, considering how the law change has impacted on the management of these risks, and whether further change is required to better support the safety of street-based sex workers. Drawing from the perspectives of women working on the streets, this thesis challenges portrayals of street-based sex workers as passive recipients of violence. The experiences and perceptions of these women highlight the diverse violence related risks they managed from a range of potential perpetrators, including passersby, individuals approaching as clients, other sex workers, and minders. The shift to decriminalisation has not eliminated violence. However, the findings suggest that the law change has provided a framework that better supports existing risk management strategies. For instance, in removing the possibility of arrest for soliciting, the PRA has provided an environment in which these women have sufficient time to screen potential clients on the street. Moreover, the perceptions of these women suggest that the law change has to some extent improved the relationship between police and street-based sex workers. Nevertheless, whilst decriminalisation has created anenvironment more conducive to sex worker safety, it is clear that challenges remain in addressing violence against sex workers. Since the sex industry does not operate in social and political isolation, moral discourses continue to stigmatise and threaten the wellbeing of street-based sex workers. The overall conclusion of this thesis is that whilst decriminalisation was an important first step, moving forward to proactively challenge violence against street-based sex workers requires a paradigm shift away from discourses that support violence, to a more positive acceptance of street-based sex work in New Zealand society.</p>

scholarly journals Managing Risks of Violence in Decriminalised Street-Based Sex Work: a Feminist (Sex Worker Rights) Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lynzi Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Worker Rights ◽  
Sex Worker ◽  
Risk Management Strategies ◽  
The Law

<p>It is widely understood that street-based sex workers are vulnerable to experiencing  violence in their work. The Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) was passed in New  Zealand in 2003, decriminalising sex work with the intention of supporting the health,  safety, and human rights of sex workers. This thesis explores strategies to manage  risks of violence amongst women working on the streets in New Zealand, considering  how the law change has impacted on the management of these risks, and whether  further change is required to better support the safety of street-based sex workers.  Drawing from the perspectives of women working on the streets, this thesis  challenges portrayals of street-based sex workers as passive recipients of violence.  The experiences and perceptions of these women highlight the diverse violencerelated  risks they managed from a range of potential perpetrators, including passersby,  individuals approaching as clients, other sex workers, and minders. The shift to  decriminalisation has not eliminated violence. However, the findings suggest that the  law change has provided a framework that better supports existing risk management  strategies. For instance, in removing the possibility of arrest for soliciting, the PRA  has provided an environment in which these women have sufficient time to screen  potential clients on the street. Moreover, the perceptions of these women suggest that  the law change has to some extent improved the relationship between police and  street-based sex workers. Nevertheless, whilst decriminalisation has created an  environment more conducive to sex worker safety, it is clear that challenges remain in  addressing violence against sex workers. Since the sex industry does not operate in  social and political isolation, moral discourses continue to stigmatise and threaten the  wellbeing of street-based sex workers.  The overall conclusion of this thesis is that whilst decriminalisation was an important  first step, moving forward to proactively challenge violence against street-based sex  workers requires a paradigm shift away from discourses that support violence, to a  more positive acceptance of street-based sex work in New Zealand society.</p>

Decriminalisation of sex work in the post-truth era? Strategic storytelling in neo-abolitionist accounts of the New Zealand model

2020 ◽  
pp. 174889582091889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynzi Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Sex Work Policy ◽  
Knowledge Claims

In the context of on-going debates regarding sex work laws, in most jurisdictions forms of criminalisation continue to dominate. Despite decades of sex workers calling for the decriminalisation of sex work and collectively organising against repressive laws, decriminalisation remains uncommon. New Zealand was the first full country to decriminalise sex work with the passing of the Prostitution Reform Act in 2003, which aimed to improve occupational health and safety. Several empirical studies have documented positive impacts of this framework. However, despite this, neo-abolitionists persistently describe the New Zealand model as a failed approach. This article examines neo-abolitionist knowledge claims regarding the New Zealand model and in doing so unpacks the strategic stories told about this approach, considering the implications for sex work policy making.

Understanding Scottishness among Sojourners, Settlers and Descendants in Hong Kong and New Zealand

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain Watson
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Oral History ◽  
Life Story ◽  
Social Process ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Complex Phenomenon ◽  
Complex Processes ◽  
Descent Group ◽  
Oral History Interviews

Identities and their construction are often complex processes for migrants who in an increasingly globalised and transnational world may have a number of identities upon which to draw. Mary Waters, researching white ethnic identity among multigenerational groups in suburban California, describes the choice as ‘a social process that is in flux . . . a dynamic and complex phenomenon’.1 Additionally, it is a process that can change dependent on age, time and environment. Nor is it based on a set of rules structured along primordial ancestral lines. This chapter seeks to evaluate identity selection and the use of Scottish identity or ‘Scottishness’ among Scottish migrants to New Zealand (labelled ‘settlers’) and Hong Kong (‘sojourners’) and the multigenerational descent group in New Zealand. It does so by deploying the responses generated by a small sample of 145 respondents who answered a complex questionnaire, circulated through the New Zealand Society of Genealogists Scottish Interest Group and the Hong Kong St Andrew’s Society, designed to identify potential oral history interviewees. These responses are supported by in-depth, semi-structured life-story oral history interviews.

“You’re selling a brand”: Marketing commercial sex online

Sexualities ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136346072110561
Author(s):  
Gillian Abel
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Direct Contact ◽  
Commercial Sex ◽  
Commercial Sex Work ◽  
The Social ◽  
Marketing Tool ◽  
Approach Working

Sex work has undergone a change, with the rise of the internet economy with more ‘middle class’ sex workers coming into the industry. In this paper, I explore the social status hierarchy within online direct-contact commercial sex work in New Zealand. I draw on findings from an in-depth qualitative investigation of online sex work, undertaken between 2017 and 2018. I took a participatory approach, working closely with NZPC – Aotearoa New Zealand Sex Workers’ Collective to provide an understanding of two interrelated issues: the role web platforms play in shaping the social status of sex workers who advertise for clients online; and how sex workers brand and market themselves online. The findings suggest that sex workers strive to represent themselves as authentic in their marketing to enhance social status. Furthermore, the web platform on which over 90% of indoor sex workers in New Zealand advertise has embedded a status system among sex workers through the advertising packages they offer. Social status has thus become the most powerful marketing tool indoor direct-contact sex workers have to stand out from their competitors and attract sufficient clients to make a liveable income.

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