Welcome back! This is the fourth and final installment of a month-long series presenting the videos from our annual symposium, which was held on June 7, 2022, at the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. During the symposium, Combatting Commercial Sexual Exploitation through Law and Policy, panelists discussed the criminalization of trafficking victims, criminal record relief, collateral legal consequences, and policy solutions related to the commercial sexual exploitation of individuals.
This week, the CSE Institute invites you to watch the fourth panel, “Policy Solutions.” The panelists included Alisa Bernard, the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at Thistle Farms; Taina Bien-Aimé, the Executive Direct of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women; Ane Mathieson, the Program Director at the EMPOWER Center at Sanctuary for Families; and Rebecca Zipkin, the Policy Director at World Without Exploitation. The panel was moderated by Eliza Reock, Human Trafficking Consultant. With extensive experience in the policy space, the panelists discussed the recent development of the Equality Model into the U.S. policy discussion. The panelists specifically explored how different countries addressed the sex trade through policy solutions. They emphasized the importance of Sweden’s and Norway’s policies in the development of the Equality Model. The panelists then analyzed the impact of the Equality Model, as well as statistics showing the effectiveness of this model and corresponding legal frameworks, compared to other policy models such as full decriminalization or legalization of the sex trade.
All the panelists spoke about and support the Equality Model, also known as the Nordic Model, or partial decriminalization. The panelists detailed the four basic tenets of the Equality Model: (1) decriminalization of the prostituted person; (2) criminalization of sex buyers and facilitators with a commitment to treating buying sex as a serious crime; (3) a public education campaign about the inherent harms of prostitution; and (4) funded, robust, holistic exit services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The panelists explained the sex trade is a multi-billion-dollar industry, therefore it is important to understand who actually profits from the sex trade. The sex trade thrives off inequity and exploitation and is driven by the demand of buying sex. It is, therefore, especially important to address the demand of sex buyers when discussing policy solutions to end commercial sexual exploitation.
The panelists also emphasized that the Equality Model is the most effective model to address the harm caused by commercial sexual exploitation. They explained how the full decriminalization model and corresponding legal frameworks inadequately address many of the problems faced by survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. In a full decriminalization model, there is often a less expansive definition of commercial sexual exploitation. Alisa Bernard emphasized this narrower definition would make it more difficult for individuals to prove they are victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Additionally, a narrow definition of commercial sexual exploitation may prevent victims from receiving essential exit services. This definition may even hinder a victim’s ability to realize they themselves are victims.
The panelists emphasized the fact that there is no real choice or consent in commercial sexual exploitation. Ane Mathieson asked the audience, “When the most marginalized communities make up the majority of the sex trade, what does that say about choice?” Alisa Bernard explained if the choice is between entering prostitution to feed your family and returning to your abuser, there really is no choice. The panelists all emphasized that as soon as an individual’s consent to a sexual act is obtained by purchase, the consent becomes meaningless.
Lastly, the panelists also summarized that it is necessary to create spaces for young people to hear critical discussions of the Equality Model, utilize social media effectively, collaborate with organizations, and build on one another’s work. The work our panelists have accomplished and the efforts they continue to pursue serve as an incredible inspiration for the CSE Institute and stakeholders in Pennsylvania, the United States, and beyond. We applaud and support the efforts of these panelists, as well as all the other individuals who spoke at our symposium and are working tirelessly to combat commercial sexual exploitation in Pennsylvania and beyond.
Thank you again to our great group of panelists:
- Alisa Bernard, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Thistle Farms
- Taina Bien-Aimé, Executive Director, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
- Ane Mathieson, Program Director EMPOWER Center at Sanctuary for Families
- Rebecca Zipkin, Policy Director, World Without Exploitation
- Moderator: Eliza Reock, Human Trafficking Consultant
Watch the full panel and experience the impactful and wise statements of these panelists for yourself here.
All views expressed herein are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law or of Villanova University.