Some New Zealand sex workers are distancing themselves from Hamilton sex worker Lisa Lewis' open letter to the Government. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Some New Zealand sex workers are distancing themselves from Hamilton sex worker Lisa Lewis' open letter to the Government. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Some New Zealand sex workers are distancing themselves from Hamilton sex worker Lisa Lewis' open letter to the Government attacking the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is also denying that it is targeting Asian sex workers in its latest crackdown.
In a letter to Government ministers dated June 9, Lewis rejected NZPC as the representative organisation of prostitutes and attacked it for supporting illegal sex workers.
A Herald investigation last month revealed Illegal sex workers were accessing a million-dollar taxpayer-funded sex programme through NZPC.
At least a dozen people involved in the sex industry have contacted the Herald saying the letter, which carried 25 other names, did not represent their views.
"She [Lewis] does not speak for me or other sex workers, establishment, parlour or site that we have our profiles on here in NZ," said Auckland sex worker Harley Neill.
"NZPC supports all sex workers no matter where they are from, and I think what they do is a good thing. If we didn't have them, who would fight for us?"
Mary Brennan, who runs Funhouse in Wellington, says Lewis was not the voice for the industry.
"I am appalled and worried that this vile drivel will play straight into the hands of 'haters'. The people spreading these foul ideas have no understanding of the bigger picture involved here," said Brennan, a madam of 22 years.
Dominatrix Mary Brennan runs a dungeon in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
"NZPC do an incredible job on very little funding: they provide support, information, advocacy, health checks and much, much more. They are an essential part of the sex work network."
Brennan said the collective's fight was in getting the same rights for migrant sex workers as Kiwis. Under current law, it is illegal to do sex work on a temporary visa.
"To be deported with 'sex worker' on your passport and sent home in shame with fears of your future is not something anyone would want for another human being," Brennan added.
Dame Catherine Healy of NZPC said she had discussed concerns with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) about sex workers in breach of their temporary visas and their higher risk to exploitation.
Antonia Murphy, Ivy-League educated, mother and published author, opens The Bach, an "ethical brothel" in Whangarei. 24 January 2017 New Zealand Herald photograph by Brett Phibbs.
Antonia Murphy, who runs an ethical escort agency in Whangarei called The Bach, said decriminalisation allowed New Zealand sex workers to go to the police if they were threatened or assaulted.
"Migrant workers should have those rights too, because at the end of the day it's about saving lives," Murphy said.
"As an immigrant myself, I am enormously proud that we have the most progressive sex-work laws in the world here."
Another sex worker, who gave her name only as Serena, said she also supported "complete decriminalisation" of prostitution.
"I am voluntarily working as a sex worker and I continue to do this because I enjoy my job," she said.
"I don't need anyone 'saving' me. I want my safety and rights ensured, something which decriminalisation has actualised and provided for me."
Despite the fact the 27 most recently deported illegal sex workers are all Asians, INZ general manager Peter Devoy denies Asian sex workers are being targeted.
Deportation cases in progress comprise of three sex workers each China and Taiwan, two from Hong Kong and others from France, Malaysia and Russia.
"INZ would never profile people based on single factors such as gender or ethnicity alone," Devoy said.
"Profiling people based only on race is completely unacceptable."
Devoy said the agency prioritised cases for deportation as those engaged in criminality or who otherwise posed a risk to the integrity of NZ's immigration system. "This includes migrants who provided false and/or misleading information to INZ and those who refuse INZ's advice to depart the country voluntarily."
