Beyond Trafficking and Slavery

The slow slog to decriminalized sex work in Louisiana

Published in: 24 January 2020 Written by: Christine Breland Lobre All articles by: Christine Breland Lobre Written by: Lakeesha Harris All articles by: Lakeesha Harris

The path to decriminalized sex work in Louisiana leads through racism, poverty, homophobia, and predatory policing.

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Series: How to effectively argue for the decriminalisation of sex work

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Published in: Beyond Trafficking and Slavery
The false feminism of criminalising sex workers’ clients

22 January 2020

Written by: Frankie Miren All articles by Frankie Miren

Written by: Laura Watson All articles by Laura Watson

Feminist arguments against sex work are as influential as they are dangerous.
Published in: Beyond Trafficking and Slavery
Sex workers can tell you why sex work is work – speak to them

20 January 2020

Written by: Borislav Gerasimov All articles by Borislav Gerasimov

Regular interaction with sex workers allowed some of the founders of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women to...
Published in: Beyond Trafficking and Slavery
Getting anti-trafficking advocates on board with decriminalised sex work

15 January 2020

Written by: Emily Kenway All articles by Emily Kenway

Sex workers rights’ advocates and anti-trafficking professionals have more in common than they think.
Published in: Beyond Trafficking and Slavery
Sex work, stigma, and the challenge of harm reduction in Denmark

13 January 2020

Written by: Polina Bachlakova All articles by Polina Bachlakova

Harm reduction does not exist in a vacuum.
Published in: Beyond Trafficking and Slavery
Decriminalise sex work to prevent trafficking and abuse

11 January 2020

Written by: Catherine Healy All articles by Catherine Healy

Written by: Tanya Drewery All articles by Tanya Drewery

Written by: Bridie Sweetman All articles by Bridie Sweetman

New Zealand has shown that decriminalisation helps keeps sex workers safe on the job. Who will follow their lead?

Universal basic income: a way through the storm?

Exploited workers – including those labelled by authorities as ‘victims of trafficking’ or as ‘modern slaves’ – typically consent to the work that they do, however abusive or unpleasant, because it represents the best or only option they have of making the money they need. This has been shown in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America.

This begs the question: if we really want to end ‘modern slavery’, and indeed if we’re serious about protecting people from all forms of exploitation, then why not ensure that everyone always has a minimum amount of money in their pocket such that they can say no to bad work?

This isn’t a rhetorical question. Social protection scholars have long made the case that we should ‘just give money to the poor’ if we want to help them, and that doing so is cheaper, more effective and more humane than traditional policies which are costly, complicated and often regressively conditional. Basic income advocates say the same things. A basic income is defined as a regular cash payment delivered unconditionally and individually to all people. Think of it as a small salary just for being human. It won’t make you rich but it should keep you alive in a world where you need money to survive.

In order to explore this question, Beyond Trafficking and Slavery has brought together a series of experts, scholars and activists to reflect on the question: What role could basic income play in the fight against unfree labour?

Read the complete introduction

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