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Safety and Legal Info

Safety and Legal Information

Sex work - what is it?

Sex work is the exchange of sexual services for money or goods.

Sexual Services - what are they?

The definition of sexual services adopted in Victoria has three main activities under it. They are:
 
  • Taking part with someone in an act of sexual penetration. This includes oral, anal and vaginal sexual penetration. If you put a tongue, finger or other part of the body or an object, into a vagina, anus or mouth - or let any of these things be done to you - it's an act of sexual penetration (Crimes Act 1958).
  • Masturbating someone. To be considered masturbating, their genitals can be clothed and they don't have to cum.
  • Letting someone view acts of sexual penetration or masturbation when there is any form of physical contact between any watcher and any watched or when any watcher is allowed or encouraged to masturbate.
If you get money or goods for doing any of these things, you are doing sex work.

Is Sex Work Legal?

Sex work is a legal job in Victoria, if you adhere to the Sex Work Act (1994).

No matter where you work:
  • you must be over the age of 18 to do sex work, and
  • the choice to do sex work must be yours, that is, it is against the law for anyone to force or bully you into sex work.


Attention Owners and Managers

Important information regarding brothel and escort credit transactions.
 
Credit card payments and fraud


Changes to Sex Work Laws

A summary of recent amendments made to the Sex Work Act (1994)
 
Read Article 


Position Paper - Sex Work Legislation in Victoria

Early 2009 RhED made a submission to CAV to advocate for sex work legislation changes.
 
Position Paper - Legislation


PCA Review

In 2008, the Prostitution Control Act (1994) was reviewed - see what RhED has to say about it!
 
Read Article

PCA Review - Letter to Ministers


What’s Legal in the Sex Industry and What’s Not

This information sheet provides an overview on what’s legal in the sex industry and what’s not including brothels, escorts, massage parlours and relaxation centres and the streets.
 
What's Legal and What's Not


LIP – Legal Issues for Professionals

LIP is produced and published as a joint project of RhED and the St Kilda Legal Service Co-op. It is a booklet for sex workers providing comprehensive information about:
 
  • The legal set up for sex work in Victoria
  • Dealing with the police and other officials
  • Health and the law
  • Tax
  • Industrial rights
LIP also provides a directory of services relevant to sex workers, including where to go to make complaints if you have been treated unfairly.

LIP – Legal Issues for Professionals


POWER

Sex that is not negotiated is not part of the deal. Sexual assault is not part of the job. POWER is a booklet that highlights sexual violence issues for workers in the sex industry and encourages them to take action.
 
Power Booklet


Report an ‘Ugly Mug’

‘Ugly Mugs’ is a service that provides an avenue through which sex workers can report people (Mugs) who commit offences against them.
 
Read Article


Safety Tips for Escort Workers

Escort workers frequently visit unfamiliar places to service clients who are unknown to them, therefore, escort work can be risky. This information sheet has been produced to inform escort workers about the dangers they may encounter on the job, and to suggest some strategies for dealing with difficult situations.
 
Safety Tips for Escort Workers


Tips for Novices – that is, workers who are new to the sex industry

This information sheet provides tips for working in the industry without the industry working you!
 
Tips for Novices


Advertising Tips for Private Workers

This information sheet has been produced to provide private escort workers with an overview of the laws relating to advertising, some tips on how to prepare your advertisement and a list of places to advertise.
 
Advertising Tips for Private Workers


Risky Business

The Risky Business Project is specifically focused on the needs of street sex workers with regard to reducing sexual violence, and more generally toward the needs of the local community in reducing the impact of street sex work and injecting drug use. The Risky Business Project has produced the Risky Business Safety Kit.
 
Read Article

Risky Business Booklet


Drugs and Working

Its not a good idea to use drugs that dull your senses or affect your co-ordination when you’re working (this includes alcohol and pharmacy drugs). This information sheet provides information about drugs and working.

Read Article


Occupational Health & Safety

In Australia, all workers – no matter what industry they work in – have the right not to have their health put at risk through carrying out the normal requirements of their work.

Read Article


All documents are provided in PDF format. PDF documents can be viewed in Adobe Acrobat Viewer. Click here if you need to install this viewer.




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