AID workers paying for sex in a context where they are working with and providing services to extremely vulnerable people in crisis situations is an abuse of their position (Why is buying sex OK in Glasgow, but not Haiti?, The National, February 19). It is unacceptable behaviour whether in Chad, Haiti – or, to clarify for Carolyn Leckie, Glasgow. That this is unacceptable behaviour is entirely separate from the legal status of sex work.
Amnesty International strongly condemns human rights abuses against people who sell sex and the discrimination they face. That’s the very reason why Amnesty calls for decriminalisation, including those laws that prohibit associated activities such as bans on buying, solicitation, and general organisation of sex work.
This is not a matter of theory, but of extensive evidence of the daily harm that criminalisation causes. The call for decriminalisation is based on years of research, including a careful review of academic and UN agency substantive evidence from around the world and international human rights standards, and four investigations in Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Norway, and Argentina.
That research found that criminalisation makes sex workers less safe, prevents them from securing police protection, and provides impunity to abusers.
Decriminalisation is one important step towards ensuring that people who sell sex are free from violence, abuse, and discrimination – as is their right, wherever in the world they may be.
Eilidh Douglas
Edinburgh
Board member, Amnesty International UK
I WAS interested in yesterday’s letter from Bryan Clark regarding roadside litter on the B7045 road to Kirkmichael (Letters, February 20). I had a similar experience over Christmas on a pleasant walk along the A83 from the south side of Loch Fyne Hotel in Inveraray as far as the caravan park along the Lochgilphead road. Roadside litter was in abundance – much of it spread over into fields between the road and the loch.
It would be good if, perhaps, the community council or some civic-minded persons could organise, for example, a team of local Scouts/Guides to fill bin bags – in conjunction with the council roads department, who will require to organise single-lane traffic and one or two large trucks to carry the collected detritus as it is a busy road. Much of the rubbish comprises such things as old HGV tyres and empty beer barrels, so it will require muscular adults to heave them into the vehicles.
Charlie Webster
Peebles
AS someone who has lost children to miscarriage and premature births, I take exception to the letter that assumes I would be against the home abortion pill (Letters, February 20). On the contrary, I appreciate that many women are unable to cope with one more pregnancy, either financially or emotionally, and applaud SNP for both the brave decision to provide the pill in the face of religious incomprehension of the facts of women’s lives, and for their new domestic abuse bill which criminalises coercion.
Eileen May
via thenational.scot
SOME years ago the Scots Independent produced for sale sheets of stick-on saltires. I had previously used them on letters, but recently discovered a forgotten sheet that was hiding behind one of my bookshelves. I duly took it to a local supermarket and (surreptitiously!) put the saltires over the Union flags on a well-known Scottish brand of potatoes.
This small act of civil disobedience gave me a great deal of pleasure, and I’m planning to suggest that the Scots Independent reproduces these stickers and that we go to the guilty supermarkets and cover their inappropriate Union flags with saltires. It can be done!
Ian Baillie
Alexandria
AS I listened to the BBC TV sports announcer yesterday morning proclaiming excitedly: “In the Olympic Curling England has thrashed Sweden 10-3!” it occurred to me that Scots might also be encouraged to try this sport and seek to emulate England’s splendid achievement.
James Stevenson
Auchterarder
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