4 Models of Prostitution
Full Criminalisation
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Current SA Legislation
Full Criminalisation of all aspects of prostitution is by far the most common legislative approach.
States vary on the degree of punishment for each individual involved and characteristics of the crime, but technically all participants are legally culpable for their actions.
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Selling Sex |
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Pimping |
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Brothels |
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Buying Sex |
Partial Decriminalisation
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SALE!SA Recommends
Partial decriminalization identifies prostituted individuals as victims and protects them from legal penalties. Buying or facilitating the sale of sexual services remain criminalized.
Also known as the Equality, Abolitionist, End Demand, Sankara or the Swedish Model.
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Selling Sex |
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Pimping |
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Brothels |
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Buying Sex |
Full Decriminalisation
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Government's Plan
Full decriminalization removes all laws prohibiting and regulating prostitution including those against facilitating and buying.
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Selling Sex |
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Pimping |
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Brothels |
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Buying Sex |
Legalisation
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Government's Future Plan
Legalisation differs from decriminalization in that prostitution is legal but regulated and controlled by the government.
These controls may include licensing, zoning, or mandatory health checks.
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Selling Sex |
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Pimping |
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Brothels |
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Buying Sex |
We should recognise that prostitution is innately harmful and, therefore, a human rights abuse.
When government fails to recognise prostitution as harmful, the human rights elements of victim safety and offender accountability are lost.
When government does recognise the harms in prostitution, it triggers the need for a victim-centered human rights based response.
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