CANCELLED: THINK Series Debate: The Sex Industry, Legalise or Abolish?

This event has been cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience.

In 1999, Sweden was the first country to adopt what has since been called the Nordic Model, making it illegal to purchase sex while decriminalising those who sell. This approach has since been adopted in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Canada, France, Ireland, and most recently, Israel.

But it is still a controversial law, with critics saying it drives prostitution underground and harms sex workers by making it more dangerous to sell sex. The proponents of the Nordic Model point, on their side, to reduced demand and reduced levels of trafficking, with some arguing for abolition on the grounds that selling sex is inherently harmful. In this THINK debate, we'll discuss the current problems with the sex industry and how best to deal with them.

Is decriminalisation or legalisation the way to go, or should the UK adopt something like the Nordic model and work to abolish the sex industry altogether?

In this THINK debate, we'll discuss the current problems with the sex industry and how best to deal with them.

Speaker Bios

Ida Elin Kock - Pro Sentret

Ida Kock is Senior Executive Officer at the Norwegian Pro Sentret. Pro Sentret is Oslo Municipality’s health and social service for persons who sell sexual services, as well the Norwegian national centre of expertise on prostitution-related issues. Norway implemented the Nordic Model in 2009, and Pro Sentret has been active in the debate for decades, being critical of the Nordic Model as well as its implementation in Norway.   

SPACE International

We also have a representative from SPACE International. SPACE was first formed in Ireland, in 2012, for the purpose of changing social attitudes towards prostitution and pressing for the Nordic Model and abolition. The representatives of SPACE International have lived experience of the sex trade, and many of them have extensive experience of front-line work in combatting prostitution and offering exit services to prostituted women and girls.