Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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Unpacking decriminalisation of prostitution: Is it really progressive?
Attempts to redefine prostitution as ‘work’ conceal the reality of commercial sexual abuse, writes ROBYN MARTIN
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SEX “work” is described as the exchange of a range of sexual activities for some form of material compensation. The material goods offered in return are most commonly money, housing and drugs.
At the heart of the sex industry are sex, class and race-based power imbalances. Most commonly, pimps are wealthy and male, and those most often prostituted are women facing poverty. The core issue with referring to this transaction as “work” is the issue of consent. To understand the issue of consent in the industry, it is essential to understand what initially drives women into it.
Inside Outside Scotland, supported by Encompass Network, is an aural recording project where women took part in recorded conversations with the Women’s Support Project and with Dundee-based photographer Kathryn Rattray to capture their experiences.
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As Ash Regan’s Unbuyable Bill sparks debate in Scotland, the real issue remains unaddressed: a digitalised sex industry and a neoliberal economy that repackages exploitation as empowerment while leaving women’s material conditions unchanged, argues LAUREN HARPER
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Susan Galloway talks to ASH REGAN MSP about her “Unbuyable” Bill, seeking to tackle the commercial sexual exploitation of women in Scotland