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>View discussions about this entry Country: Australia
Organization: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Sector Focus -
Year the initative began (yyyy) - 1994
Project URL: http://www.catwa.org.au
Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence? - CATWA seeks to affect public policy by highlighting the links between trafficking and prostitution and showing how legalization/decriminalization in Australia has failed to reduce the number of women trafficked into the country for prostitution, ensure the safety of women in prostitution and decrease the size of both the legal and illegal industries.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field? - In Australia, CATWA is in the unique position of being able to analyze the effects of the legalization/decriminalization of prostitution on women in prostitution, including women who are trafficked for sexual exploitation. This is important at a time when policymakers are increasingly having to consider the best approaches to ending trafficking and the harms of prostitution. The Australian experiments in legalization/decriminalization are often held up as examples and CATWA is able to supply crucial facts to challenge the positive picture that is often given.
CATWA is one of the few organizations in Australia that is working to highlight the links between trafficking and prostitution, and to critically evaluate the harmful effects of the legalization/decriminalization of prostitution. CATWA seeks to expose the ways in which legalizing or decriminalizing prostitution has failed in each of the main objectives advanced by Australian states in support of legalization/decriminalization. CATWA’s research suggests that legalisation/decriminalization has in fact: The legalization of brothel prostitution has increased demand for the trafficking of women, with approximately 1000 women now trafficked to Australia for prostitution each year. Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing? - The main focus of CATWA’s work is exposing the harms of legalization/decriminalization, campaigning for legislative reform, and increasing community awareness of the failure of the current model. CATWA writes submissions to government inquiries both within Australia and internationally, and participates in conferences, round tables and community consultations regarding trafficking and prostitution. CATWA has also conducted two conferences on issues relating to prostitution, which have been very successful and attracted good support from women working in the area and the community generally. CATWA’s work is used by policymakers, both within and outside Australia, and we are regularly asked to speak at conferences nationally, internationally and at the United Nations, by governments and NGOs.
How do you plan to grow your innovation? - CATWA is currently planning a second conference that will be held in November 2008, which we hope to make an annual event. CATWA is also planning to incorporate into our campaign a focus on strip clubs in Australia, particularly in Melbourne. Conferences are an important way of increasing community awareness about the failures of the current legislation and promoting an alternative model. CATWA uses its website to provide research papers and information, and an Australia/New Zealand email discussion list to network and plan actions and responses.
Do you have any existing partnerships, and if so, how do you create them? - CATWA is a branch of the international Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) and works with many of the organizations within the CATW network. In particular CATWA works with CATWAP, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific, which is the umbrella CATW organization for the region. CATWA has supplied research papers and speakers in the last 5 years to organizations and government departments and parliamentarians in New Zealand, Sweden, Korea, Denmark, Canada, South Africa and many more.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. - CATWA’s ultimate goal is for both Australian state governments, and other governments internationally that receive CATWA’s insights, to adopt legislation that decriminalizes prostituted women and penalizes the men that abuse women in prostitution.
How many people have you served or plan to serve? - CATWA envisages that the proposed legislative reform will reduce demand for prostitution and in turn reduce both the number of women entering prostitution and the number trafficked to Australia for sexual exploitation. It is estimated that 1000 women are trafficked to Australia for prostitution each year. The implementation of exit programs will also help prostituted women to leave the industry. More generally, CATWA understands prostitution to be both a cause and a consequence of gender inequality, and proposes that the elimination of prostitution is essential for the achievement of equality between all women and men.
Please list any other measures of the impact of your innovation? - The primary measure of the impact of our innovation will be the adoption of legislation that makes prostitution illegal by penalizing the male buyers and decriminalizing the women who are abused in prostitution. A concomitant development would be the implementation of exit programs to assist women in leaving the prostitution industry. These two changes are likely to result in a reduction in the number of women and children abused in prostitution in Australia and the number of men who use prostituted women.
Exactly who are the beneficiaries of your innovation? - The legislative reform proposed by CATWA will benefit trafficked women, women in prostitution generally by reducing demand for prostitution and supporting women to leave the industry. It will aid the status of women in general by helping to remove a significant obstacle to equal opportunities.
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)? - CATWA is funded by membership fees and donations only, and is run entirely by volunteers.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization - Annual budget;
Annual revenue generated; Number of staff: This field has not been completed. (166 words or less) What is the potential demand for your innovation? - If successfully implemented, Australian state and federal governments could become best-practice models for prostitution legislation that effectively addresses the harms caused by the industry.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability? - In Australia, there is currently little funding for organizations that oppose the legalization/decriminalization model.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story. - The origin of CATWA’s work lies in the recognition of the substantial harms that legalization of prostitution in Australia had brought to prostituted women and girls. It originated in Victoria which was the first state to legalize brothels.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material - CATWA is comprised of a small group of dedicated volunteers from various backgrounds, who have come together with the shared belief that the abuse of women and children in prostitution can be brought to an end.
Contact Information:
Sheila Jeffreys
This field has not been completed Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (NGO) sheila@unimelb.edu.au CATWA PO Box 1273 North Fitzroy VIC 3068 Australia Australia Tel: +61 (3) 8344 7162 Website: http://www.catwa.org.au/ Discussions about this entry |
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Australia
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Hi Sheila,
I was amazed while reading your posting! You think that the law is put in place to help people and it sounds like by passing legalization/decriminalization, it is just fueling the fire of prostitution! Why do you think that the media has been able to put a positive spin on this legislation? It was very educational to read your posting and see the direct correlation between the legislation and activities that are taking place a result. I know your organization focuses on women, but is child trafficking, both men and women, a pressing issue as well? Other than high lighting the links, does your organization have counseling or other options in place for women who are rescued from this lifestyle? Good luck in your fight to influence policy makers and make some changes. It is very admirable what you and your organization are doing!
-Courtney
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MIM, Portland State University