Legalisation of Prostitution in Queensland

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Originally derived from the Latin word situere, meaning "to offer for sale," prostitution describes the offering and provision of sexual services for financial gain. Pickles, (n.d), further describes prostitution as the carrying on of a trade or business by a person who submits her/himself to another for gain or hire for the provision of sexual services. According to the Australian Institute of Family 2008, sex work is broadly defined as the exchange of sexual services (including oral sex, vaginal and anal sex, sexual touching, masturbation and massage) for payment or reward. There are several avenues of sex work within the community including street work, brothel work, private and escort work whilst also table top dancing , which all create diverse experiences of such sex work. Thus even those governing the sale of sex may also be bound by legislation surrounding prostitution.

Despite being the ‘oldest profession”, prostitution is still regarded as an “immoral” and “undesirable” service by various divisions of society (Pickles C, N.d). Legislators have the “onerous task” of governing the inconsistent view points of communities and thus prostitution remains controversial within Australia, continuing to vex criminal justice authorities across the nation as in most other countries around the world (Australian Institute of Criminology, 1990, 1). The confusion regarding the certainty of the Australian laws governing prostitution has clouded the minds of both legislators and those employed within the “sex industry” for some time. Clearly prostitution laws prove to be imprecise, being inconsistent as they differ from state to state (Australian Institute of Criminology, 1990, 1).

Prostitution is not solely illegal within Austral...

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...ion be legal?.

http://prostitution.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000107 (accessed 14th May 2011)

Alliance, S. 2010. Terminology. http://www.scarletalliance.org.au/issues/terminology/ (accessed Thursday 5th May 2011)

Pickles C. Legal perspective in clarifying the issues of the sex industry http://www.aic.gov.au/en/publications/previous%20series/proceedings/1-20/~/media/publications/proceedings/14/pickles.ashx (accessed Sunday 15th May 2011, 2:05pm)

Roberts, G. 2003. Serial killer fear strikes prostitutes. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/07/1046826526790.html (accessed 12th June 2011

Amit , S. N.d. Legalisng prostitution.http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html (accessed 21st June 2011)

Legislation

The Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld)

Vagrants, Gaming and other Offences Act 1931 (Qld)

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