Sex workers forced into extra work for no pay

ILLEGAL Darwin brothels “sabotage” independent sex workers to crush them out of operation, a parliamentary committee has been told

### NT NEWS USE ONLY ### ONE TIME USE ### FIFO prostitutes are visiting clients in Darwin hotels.

ILLEGAL Darwin brothels intimidate and “sabotage” independent sex workers to crush them out of operation, a parliamentary committee has been told.

In a submission to the Territory’s Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee, sex worker Sienna Charles said the NT’s sex industry was dominated by a handful of operations which “run the show”.

The committee is examining a bill to decriminalise the industry.

“I have had friends who came up from interstate to work for said operations confide in me that they dealt with open racism and discrimination from the management with no possibility of redress,” Ms Charles said.

“I have been outraged that the management has dictated that their employees must take on additional responsibilities with no extra pay, or they will not be given shifts – this is a situation that would have consequences for management if sex workers were protected by workplace laws.

“I have personally shared apartments with other workers and feared that if anything were to happen, that we would not feel safe reporting it to law enforcement.”

Ms Charles told the NT News decriminalisation of the industry would allow workers access to workplace health and safety laws and improve their relationship with police.