Many Prostitutes Keen To Leave Profession (Press, 29 June 1984)

On 29 June 1984, a NSW Parliamentary Committee on prostitution in Sydney's inner city was informed that up to half of the prostitutes working in the "red light" areas of Kings Cross and Darlinghurst would welcome an opportunity to leave the industry. This information was presented during hearings that discussed a report commissioned by the Department of Youth and Community Services the previous year. Jane Bradfield and Margaret Bail, who contributed to the report, advised that the Government could consider creating an assistance package aimed at helping prostitutes transition out of their current situation. They indicated that many young women in the industry were open to such a support system, explicitly stating that it should only be available to those who wished to move away from prostitution. Bradfield noted that there were approximately 400 prostitutes—comprising male, female, and transsexual individuals—active in the area, although this number varied. The submission highlighted an increasing trend of young women entering prostitution, with Bradfield suggesting that some were as young as under 16 years old. The findings revealed that around a third of the street-based sex workers had children to support, and a staggering three-quarters of them had faced severe trauma in their early lives, including experiences of rape, incest, and violence, often stemming from broken family backgrounds. The primary motivation for many individuals entering prostitution was economic necessity. Furthermore, it was reported that nearly all young street prostitutes had histories of homelessness. The Department of Youth and Community Services estimated that around 15,000 young individuals experienced homelessness annually in New South Wales. Despite the Government funding 600 accommodation places, many young homeless applicants faced rejection due to insufficient resources. Additionally, the phenomenon of pimps increasingly asserting control over street prostitutes was noted; these individuals often took as much as half of a prostitute's earnings. The overall findings echoed the complex and challenging realities faced by those involved in prostitution, underscoring a pressing need for support and intervention.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand