<
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/dec/01/i-have-done-nothing-wrong-juanita-quit-her-job-at-a-melbourne-brothel-to-work-from-home-now-shes-being-evicted>
"When sex work became legal in Victoria, Juanita* decided to quit her job at a
brothel and begin working privately from her home in Melbourne’s western
suburbs.
“It was a big relief,” she says. “I could set my hours, choose my clients and,
most importantly, feel safe.”
But within weeks, a flyer from a “concerned resident” began to appear in the
letterboxes of her neighbours, falsely claiming she was running an “illegal
brothel” out of her home.
Juanita suspects the flyer was written by her former boss in retaliation for
starting her own business. But regardless of who sent it, the damage was done –
her local council received a complaint, launched an investigation and alerted
her landlord.
She was then served with a formal breach of her rental agreement. Two more
followed before she received a notice to vacate in October.
But Juanita won’t leave.
“I have done nothing wrong,” she says. “This is my home and I am following the
rules.”
Sex work has been fully decriminalised in Victoria since 1 December 2023,
meaning it is legally treated like any other business, including those
operating from home, such as hairdressing salons or personal training studios.
Legal protections, which came into effect in 2022, also make it illegal to
discriminate against a person based on their involvement in the sex industry.
But advocates say these changes aren’t widely known or understood in the
community. Combined with cuts in funding to support services for sex workers,
they say it could put those in the industry at risk.
“The decriminalisation legislation may have come into legal effect overnight,
but it is only as effective as it’s known by everyone and enforced,” says
Juanita’s lawyer, Emily Smith.
“If it isn’t known by councils and lawyers and real estate agents, then it’s
certainly not going to be effective to reduce harm to sex workers, or the
stigma and discrimination against them, which was the stated purpose of the
legislation.
“The government can’t wipe their hands of this and say it’s job done.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
