View Full Version : "Former Sex Workers" in to Justice Committee tomorrow...
LaBelleThatcher
05-02-13, 12:33
...in secret, with no transcript at all.
I am certainly not one of them and was not invited so it must be Ruhama's pick (think everybody ELSE invited me at some point and was politely declined as I think the Justice Committee know all my thoughts by heart by now and it is time they heard from others rather than waste a spot going over old ground).
This is becoming more and more a whitewash - i thought inviting Paul Maguire was a stitch-up but this is frankly unbelievable - No public hearing , no transcript ,vested interests all around .......
Would be very keen on what the Gardai's line is - their behaviour in terms of lack of invasive activity and the poor findings of Operation Quest would suggest that they have a comfortable eye on proceedings - whether they would admit to the unenforceable angle of Swedish Model i don't know.
The way that this is going ,it wouldn't surprise me if they revoke Pye Jakobbsson 's invite....
LaBelleThatcher
05-02-13, 14:23
The way that this is going ,it wouldn't surprise me if they revoke Pye Jakobbsson 's invite....
As far as I know Pye declined the invitation because they were trying to bring her in as a substitute for an active Irish Sex Worker rather than as the expert on the negative impact of Swedish legislation that she is.
Brooke magnanti makes the point via twitter - demand that the transcripts are made available purely for transparency purposes.
Have just done the same - contact pat.neary@oireachtas.ie politelyrequesting the transcripts to ensure the public can view proceedings
If Pye is out , then the Committee have an easy ride to the finish - Sex workers' testimony next week is worthless in terms of turning the tide as they are merely the few,lucky ones......- The presence of a formidable Swedish sex worker to contradict the claims of 'Swedish success' was needed to open closed minds - GAME OVER from the Committee stage of potential legislation :( - Big win for spin over transparency - mind you , considering the Chairman's website statement in support of the Swedish Model before proceedings started ,and without any examination of other models used around the world, it was always a fait d'ccompli...
Looks like Alan Shatter is the guy to appeal to - after all, there's an absolute reponsibility for the state to arrive at the environment of least harm ,which means all models must be thorughly examined and by non-lobbying groups.Something which this committee has failed misearbly to do....
LaBelleThatcher
05-02-13, 14:50
If Pye is out , then the Committee have an easy ride to the finish - Sex workers' testimony next week is worthless in terms of turning the tide as they are merely the few,lucky ones......- The presence of a formidable Swedish sex worker to contradict the claims of 'Swedish success' was needed to open closed minds - GAME OVER from the Committee stage of potential legislation :( - Big win for spin over transparency - mind you , considering the Chairman's website statement in support of the Swedish Model before proceedings started ,and without any examination of other models used around the world, it was always a fait d'ccompli...
Looks like Alan Shatter is the guy to appeal to - after all, there's an absolute reponsibility for the state to arrive at the environment of least harm ,which means all models must be thorughly examined and by non-lobbying groups.Something which this committee has failed misearbly to do....
Ah now...not saying she shouldn't be invited, just NOT IN PLACE OF A CURRENT SEX WORKER...that would be against EVERYTHING Pye stands for and believes in...you can't ask people to do that. I declined a place (about 3 times) for the same reason.
It would not be my impression that anyone will be getting an "easy ride" out of the sex workers going in next week AT ALL. :)
Nah LBT - whilst sex workers are FULLY FULLY ENTITLED to speak (in fact they should get centre stage to all proceedings) the debate is centered around whetehr the Swedish Model works or not. Pye's testimony was crucial to shoew that sex workers are worse off under the model, thereby undermining the torl position . Without landing a hammer blow on the Swedish Model,sex workers testimony (which will also include a traffick victim) will be seen merely as the lucky, happy few .
What's worse is that Pye was invited but declined . One could question the Committee's integrity by their refusal to invite a Swedish Model 'dissident' - the fact that they did , but she declined means the committee gets of the hook re their inevitable findings....
As i said , unfortunately , GAME OVER - an attempt will still be made to contest the tidal wave of marketing spin ,but without someone within Swedish ranks to tell of the counter-productive results of the Model , then there's no real credibility to the contrasting view.
For what its worth , a tweet from Laura Lee - she's on the Nolan Show at 10.30 pm tomorrow night with Lord Morrow....
LaBelleThatcher
05-02-13, 15:13
Pye declined to be put forward by SWAI come in in place of an Irish sex worker...not the same as declining a formal invitation from the committee.
As I understand she is happy to come in as an expert of the effects of the Swedish legislation at any time, and there is no excuse for the committee not inviting her, unless, of course they have already consulted with her at length in the course of their "impartial" investigations of Sweden.
Perhaps you would like to msail them, as I already have, and draw their attention to this?
I'll mail them for what its worth,LBT - so as i'm correct ,the invite to Pye was issued by SWAI rather than the commitee ?- What email address did you sent the request to ? - ultimately , i have to express disappointment in her personal decision - if Pye is fevrent in her belief of the downsides of the Swedish Model,then i would have thought the practical value of informing the Committe on the counter-productive effects of the Model on sex workers carry far more weight (in terms of contesting the model) than the views of an Irish Sex Worker whose views are only going to be downgraded to the 'minority lucky ones' anyway - awful own goal by Pye imo considering the stakes involve
LaBelleThatcher
05-02-13, 16:01
I'll mail them for what its worth,LBT - so as i'm correct ,the invite to Pye was issued by SWAI rather than the commitee ?- What email address did you sent the request to ? - ultimately , i have to express disappointment in her personal decision - if Pye is fevrent in her belief of the downsides of the Swedish Model,then i would have thought the practical value of informing the Committe on the counter-productive effects of the Model on sex workers carry far more weight (in terms of contesting the model) than the views of an Irish Sex Worker whose views are only going to be downgraded to the 'minority lucky ones' anyway - awful own goal by Pye imo considering the stakes involve
SWAI tried to invite Pye and myself in place of two active sex workers. This was absolutely unacceptable, and would make us no better than Ruhama.
There is, incidentally, no certainty that SWAI are in a position to invite ANYONE...protocol (as explained to me by Pat Neary- acting clerk of Committee) suggests that is the Committee's decision alone to make and will be made from the very many sex workers who sent in submissions.
Best to mail david.stanton@oireachtas.ie (Committee Chairman) and cc pat.neary@oireachtas.ie
Cheers , will send them an email this evening - do you know if Pye herself sent a submission before August 31st? If she did, then the committee have no credible grounds for not inviting......
LaBelleThatcher
05-02-13, 16:36
Cheers , will send them an email this evening - do you know if Pye herself sent a submission before August 31st? If she did, then the committee have no credible grounds for not inviting......
I would imagine the Rose Alliance as a whole rather than Pye sent a submission, but I should think they did...Pye already spoke formally at the conference.