from inside the June, Maine Governor Janet Mills signed an expenses towards law that is designed to partly decriminalize sex work about state. The newest legislation, LD 1435, carry out institute what’s known as the “Nordic Design” from prostitution statutes, which seeks so you can criminalize people who pay for sex when you’re getting rid of criminal charges for sex workers, fundamentally giving sex specialists and you may victims out-of sex trafficking just who statement discipline and/otherwise exploitation immune system regarding prosecution.
Legislation try passed alongside a work securing survivors’ records out of prostitution convictions and you can mandating the condition give you the total functions that they need to help them reconstruct its life.
But not, because Nordic Design has actually acquired dominance into the regions including Canada, Ireland, Sweden and you may France because of the allegedly coming down interest in sex works and you may successfully confronting sexual exploitation, supporters and you may people in the sex performs business argue that it actually really does more harm than good.
“Brand new Nordic model takes police tips of exploring people trafficking and you can consumes them toward punishing consensual sex performs,” said Valentine Vonbettie, a beneficial sex worker and you will Co-President of the Oregon Sex Worker’s Panel, within the a written declaration to help you TCR.
S voters told you they either highly help otherwise a bit assistance decriminalization
An excellent 2019 learn from Sweden discovered that the new Nordic model were not successful to reduce demand for prostitution, to help you deter individuals from engaging in sex functions, or to give important info in order to victims of people trafficking within the or out from the sex industry.