Claims of more prostitutes on streets don't stand up

A transgender prostitute near Hunters Corner, Papatoetoe, in Auckland. Picture / Greg Bowker

Researchers have rejected claims that prostitution in New Zealand has ballooned since it was decriminalised in 2003, saying there has been no apparent increase in sex workers on the streets.

The early results of a study by the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences found the number of sex workers on the streets in New Zealand's main centres had stayed about the same or fallen since the Prostitution Reform Act came into force.

Researchers Gillian Abel, Lisa Fitzgerald and Dr Cheryl Brunton collated data from headcounts of street workers on several nights over two weeks early this year.

"Contrary to the much publicised assertions of local and national politicians, the evidence is actually that numbers of sex workers on the streets haven't increased since prostitution was decriminalised," said Ms Abel, the leader of the research team.

In Auckland, researchers estimated there were 106 sex workers on the streets where prostitutes operated, considerably fewer than police estimates of 360 in 2003.

In Wellington, 47 street workers were counted, slightly fewer than a 2003 estimate of 50, and in Christchurch it is estimated there are 100 street workers.

Among the many critics of the Prostitution Reform Act was Auckland barrister David Garrett, who said there had been an "explosion" of teenage prostitutes in Christchurch and Auckland that police were unable to control.

United Future MP Gordon Copeland has also stated his concerns about an increase in sex workers on the streets of Auckland and Christchurch, and he wants to see an end to sex workers operating on the streets.

The architect of the reform act, Labour MP Tim Barnett, said the latest research showed the legal status of prostitution was irrelevant to the number of sex workers.

Prostitution was demand-driven and demand was not affected by a change in the law, Mr Barnett said.

Prostitutes Collective national co-ordinator Catherine Healy said there was nothing like research to provide a clearer picture on such a hotly debated subject.

"It challenges people to come up with their own research which demonstrates otherwise, and they haven't," she said.

"I know people who have been throwing figures around off the top of their heads. One of the most appalling statements was that there had been a 400 per cent increase [in sex workers]. We traced it back to Sydney where one of the madams there had thrown it out after their law change."

Ms Healy said it was often a difficult economic situation that drove people into the sex industry.

"We have also seen blips in the number of people out there in relation to the climate."

The research team is surveying a sample of sex workers about their health and safety practices, and carrying out in-depth interviews with a smaller group to help understand these.

This work is due to be completed by late 2007 and will assist the statutory review of the Prostitution Reform Act.