For the first time in three years, opportunities for women around the world, in terms of education, health and politics, have closed in on those afforded to men, according to a new report released on Monday by the World Economic Forum.
At the top of the list is Iceland. Iceland, for 11 years in a row, is elevating women by closing their gender gaps. Coincidentally, Iceland is also a country I’ve been paying attention to for many years, and not just because it’s on my bucket list to visit. Iceland has been on my radar for a very different reason: their laws on human rights issues, specifically those that establish a culture free from the sexual exploitation of women.
In Iceland, prostitution is not illegal, but buying sex or profiting from prostitution is. In other words, their law decriminalizes all those who are prostituted, provides supportive services to help them exit, and makes buying people for sex a criminal offense, in order to reduce the demand that drives sex trafficking. In fact, 4 of the top 10 countries (Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Ireland) who have closed the gender gap, have this law on prostitution! That’s why it’s called the equality model. It recognizes that the person purchasing sex has an economic advantage. The sex buyer uses money, power and privilege to extract sex from someone with less money, power and privilege. “Prostitution is, in reality, very simple. It is sex between two people- between one who wants it and one who doesn’t. Since desire is absent, payment takes its place.” -Kajsa Ekis Ekman
The disparity between Iceland and Nevada couldn’t be further apart. In Nevada, it is lawful to both buy and sell sex, and one consequence of this is that Nevada has become a breeding ground for sex trafficking: Nevada’s illegal sex trade is the highest of any other state in our country. It is 63 percent larger than the next highest state. Sadly, the data also reveals that Nevada is in the top 10 states in the country for trafficked youth. The traffickers brag that recruiting in Nevada is the easiest because the laws have done half the work for them.
And those aren’t the only consequences: women in Nevada are sold, raped, beaten, assaulted, kidnapped and murdered at levels high above the national average: Nevada consistently ranks first in the nation for domestic violence fatalities, third in the nation for rape/sexual assault; fourth in the nation for women to be murdered by men. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) almost half of the women (48.1%) living in Nevada have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.
When prostitution is legitimized, then the entire practice of exploitation is normalized; when prostitution is viewed as “a job like any other,” it then gets the same access and opportunities as any other business. Pimps can run for office. A current county commissioner and pimp even came up with an event called “Hunt a Ho” where men with paintball guns get to run around the desert hunting women who work for him.
In other words, the entire community inadvertently becomes groomed. In RGJ’s recent podcast series called The City, a Reno strip club owner was portrayed as a misunderstood good guy, and a victim to be empathized with. This man owns 3 strip clubs, and is a local high school track coach.
Let me repeat myself: when prostitution is legitimized, the entire community inadvertently becomes groomed and does things like allow strip club owners to coach high school girls’ sports, and then portrays his sad childhood of being bullied as his excuse to exploit others.
The City’s portrayal of this poor powerful strip club owner, reminds me of the recent Harvey Weinstein interview where he stated he “feels like a forgotten man” and deserves a “pat on the back when it comes to women.” Weinstein’s lawyer recently asked the judge for mercy on his $45 million dollar lawsuit because it is just “too much to bear.”
The culture in Nevada accepting pimps as politicians and strip club owners into high school positions of authority is no different than Prince Andrew not regretting his relationship with child trafficker and rapists Jeffery Epstein because it proved “actually very useful.” But useful to who Nevada?
In Iceland, strip shows themselves are illegal. In fact, the promotion of nudity to attract customers to a particular venue or event, private dancing, and the fraternization of clients are also illegal. And their laws on consent are clear. Consent must be clearly and voluntarily expressed. The consent burden is on the accused – rather than the court focusing on whether the victim said ‘no’ or tried to fight back, the accused will have to prove the other person consented. By comparison, Nevada’s culture seems to be more interested in finding empathy for predators.
Nevada would do right by re-examining this culture of exploitation, and how it infects our sense of intimacy: if a man tries to have sex with a woman who doesn’t want to have sex with him, we call that sexual harassment. If he goes further and has sex with her anyway, we call that rape. However, in Nevada, if he uses money to convince her to have sex with him, it seems to confuse everyone. The money the sex buyer leaves behind represents his privilege to pay to rebrand his act of rape and call it consent. Iceland is clear in their understanding of consent. His money would never serve as evidence of consent. That payment only provides the sex buyer with the narrative that he did not harm her. He even gets to think she liked it.
Allowing men to buy sex only aligns with his fantasy. It is not the reality of the survivor. The sex buyer and the community are then groomed to believe he didn’t cause any real harm and our law protects his fantasy. This only further perpetuates inequality. We as a society must end our blind loyalty to the sex buyers, the Weinstein’s, the Epstein’s, strip club and brothel owners and learn to stand for equality in our community.
Bear With Me
I am at work today. I am a working mom. I am a 5th grade public school teacher and the children’s pastor at my church. These titles are both new to me. I have a schedule and responsibilities and people who depend on me for things to run smoothly. I don’t mind change really, but coming in as the new girl, I am more hesitant to jump in and switch everything up. I don’t want to be known as the pot stirrer man. I want to come in and be known as the girl who fixed the things that were inefficient and made great the things that were good. Also, I want my uniform to involve a cape.
After thinking it through with the brain God assigned me, I figured the best way to do my job is through love. If my goal as an educator is to love others, and my goal as a children’s pastor is to love others, and my goal as someone who shares an office with others is to love, and my goal in every relationship is to love first, I am golden. Jesus said so.
He came into a situation where everyone was on the defense because they didn’t understand what he was about. And when they realized what he was about, most people were convinced he was going about it all the wrong way. My work is nothing compared to what Jesus came to accomplish, but the approach has to be the same. Love God, Love others.
On the surface, it looks differently in each situation, but not really. It means being full of grace for each person no matter their status in our eyes. Removing our expectations and only having the conviction that God is going to be glorified in our every word, step, and thought.
Really it looks like what Paul talked about in Galatians, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” It’s Jesus’ LAW that we bear with one another. When I start my day and ask my coworkers to bear with me while I get familiar with our rules and procedures and policies, I am actually asking them to carry my burdens and mistakes until I can stand on my own. Then, I have to do it back. I have to bear with them while we are learning to work together.
In other situations, it acts differently, but it is the same. Team mom? Bearing with your parents and realizing that there are more important things in the big picture than bringing snack on time. Mentoring girls who sometimes make the same mistake and then hit “replay for days” (who doesn’t?) In ministry at church or at a fundraiser for a great cause? Sometimes moms need to show up late because their child or children needed some real face time before rushing off to church. Bearing with them in grace. Covering their responsibilities WITH A SMILE. Ooh, that last part is often the part where I stumble.
I left Costco the other day, and as I approached the light at the top of a pretty steep hill, I saw a big brother riding beside his younger brother on their bikes. They looked to be about eight and 12. Big Brother had his hand on Little Brother’s back, pushing him as he struggled to make it up the hill. It was at the height of the hottest part of the day, and he was literally bearing this physical burden. Their bikes had to be very close to one another, which implies a level of trust between the two of them, not just one way. The best part? They were both laughing. Big Brother was smiling and happy to help.
I want to be this kid when I grow up. I want to bear with others and smile while I walk along side them or fill in or carry their burdens. I want to pour out so much grace that I catch myself laughing as I serve alongside others. This won’t be easy, but if a 12 year old can set this example, just maybe I can make some steps in the right direction.
Look Who's Talking
After an amazing weekend with Francine, Francine Rivers we are encouraged and excited about all of you coming along side us to put an end to trafficking in Reno, Nevada. Wouldn’t it be great if we showed up one day, and we were no longer needed? If suddenly Awaken had to change their outreach plan because the sex-industry was obliterated?
We trust God to bless our efforts. And, we are grateful to anyone who puts the word out. Mrs. Rivers took time and shared her heart on her blog. If you missed her at Redeeming Love: The Conference, or you just didn’t get enough of her, you can check out what she is saying about us here.
Sign up to receive our newsletter to stay in the loop of other upcoming events and updates on our ongoing efforts to raise funds to purchase a safe house for girls in the industry. Thank you for partnering with us.
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
-S
Within Reach
Ever notice Christians have a checklist along their progression of time: get saved, serve some people, join a Bible study, volunteer with a ministry, go on a mission trip, maybe go to Bible college, get married, join the young married couples small group, have babies, volunteer in the nursery, have more babies, join M.O.P.s, teach Sunday school, lead a Bible study, go to women’s retreat, join a prayer group, and. And. And.
Sometimes being a Christian woman is just all too predictable. I saw myself plotting points on an imaginary plane, and I was bored out of my mind. Is this mediocrity what God set before me? Is this what he meant when he said he planned for me, “life to the fullest”? It all seemed so meh.
When I read through stories in the Old Testament, I was struck by these testimonies that would even bring a wide-glazed-eye to people in Hollywood. You know the one I mean? Shock and awe. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t plan to add drama and sin to my life for the sake of excitement. What I want is a story that leaves a wake and points to Jesus. But I was going about it all wrong.
I realized I made everything cookie cutter. That life was NOT what God asked of me. I was putting one foot in front of the other in an order that seemed to make logical sense. Sure, God wants me to be in a Bible study. I’ll sign up to bring treats, and I will write my leader an encouraging note. These are totally noble activities. Right? Wait. I know! I’ll go on a mission trip and serve people even if I am uncomfortable. Clearly God wants me jumping out there and sharing his love. I don’t even need to ASK if this is God’s will; he said love, so I am going to love the people in this world. My children and my husband will just have to figure out how to live without me while I go serve God. Or, maybe I am missing the point of all of this. Maybe what I see as Busy Acts of Nobility (B.A.N?) are not what God wants for me.
We are not called to be noble. We are called to love others as much as we love ourselves. Bible studies, mission trips, M.O.P.s groups, small groups, a Christ loving spouse, women’s retreat and. And. And.
Even if these end up being God’s will for you, these were never meant to be the focus. Each of these experiences was intended to get us within reach.
HIS reach.
If our gaze is down or even centered at our own flawed eyelevel, that means we have taken our eyes from his; we are no longer standing resolute on who Christ is and his true calling on our life. Talk about missing opportunities.
I lose track of who needs love most when I change my focus to the noble acts. I have trouble discerning which words to tuck away and which ones to shout from the rooftops. I lack discernment, and I find myself running in circles hoping to hear from God.
What does a girl need to do to be within God’s reach? How about prayer?
Yep.
How about accountability from godly men and women?
Yes.
What if I started reading my Bible so regularly it hurt when I missed a morning?
Heck yes.
What if I got on my knees, turned off all of my electronic devices, and sought the face of Jesus with my hands stretched high just hoping to brush the hem of his garment? What if my very life depended upon that touch?
Oh that I could even grasp how much I need all of those things in my life. Then. THEN I would feel what it’s like to be within his reach.
God isn’t looking for well spoken, politically correct leaders. He is looking for someone willing to stand. Stand on his promises. Stand for others. Stand for his glory. Stand within His reach.
Where are you? Are you within his reach? It’s not too late. It’s never too late.
Attacking Sex Trafficking at the Root: Guest Post by Alex Mosher
Decreasing the Demand in our Everyday Lives
Anyone who knows basic economics knows that if the demand increases then the supply has to increase. Heck, anyone with common sense can understand this.
So how can we decrease the demand for sex trafficking in our everyday lives? How can we decrease the number of women, men and children who are being forced or coerced into sex slavery?
Well let me tell you.
- Educate ourselves on how many individuals are being exploited
- Stop buying sex
- Stop objectifying women which justifies buying sex
- Stop supporting legalized prostitution
It’s true that there are women and men who aren’t being forced into selling sex. However, a majority of the individuals the Reno Police Department runs into are.
Sergeant Ron Chalmers of the RPD, who heads the Regional Street Enforcement Team, said that as many as 80 to 90 percent of the prostitutes they come into contact with are actually being exploited. This means they are making little if any money because they’re turning it in to a pimp at the end of the night.
The act of buying sex is also something that our society has deemed acceptable. It is not a biological need as some people would like to claim. Sure sexual intimacy is innate in us, but buying sex from strangers is not, especially when many of them are modern-day slaves.
Like I said, buying sex is a societal concept that we’ve turned into a norm and we justify it by treating women as objects. So what are some simple ways we can stop justifying the buying of women?
All right, I’m going to say something unpopular but it needs to be said; stop watching porn.
“As evidenced by one experiment…desensitization to the sexual objectification of women can occur quickly through repeated exposure to pornography,” according to the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology.
Even though we would all like to believe that every woman we see in porn enjoys being there, Jenna Jameson can attest that this is rarely the case. The world’s most famous and successful “porn star,” stated in her autobiography, “ The job of a porn star is not a calling – or even an option – for most women.”
So let’s stop supporting it.
The last way we can decrease the demand for sex trafficking is by ceasing to support legal prostitution. According to the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, since Victoria, Australia legalized prostitution, “Trafficking has increased to supply the new brothels.”
An investigative report by Victoria’s Age newspaper in 1999 found that the largest growth in the sex industry since legalizing prostitution was in the illegal division. The over 100 unlicensed brothels outnumbered the “legitimate” sex establishments in 1999 and had tripled in 12 months.
Therefore legalizing prostitution didn’t serve its purpose as it was supposed to, “minimize harm,” and the explosion of illegal brothels only increased the demand for sex slaves.
On the flip side of the coin, according to the American Bar Association, since Sweden criminalized prostitution and raised penalties for sex traffickers and buyers, “The National Criminal Investigation Department has received signals from Europol and national police forces in other European countries that Sweden no longer is an attractive market for traffickers.”
Bottom line? We can decrease the number of women and children who are being forced into the sex industry by refusing to buy sex and refusing to justify the buying of sex. Prostitution, legal or illegal, and pornography are not victimless and only increase the need for modern-day slaves.
This post brought to you by one of our amazing guest posters.
Alex Mosher is a third-year journalism student at the University of Nevada. She loves writing and is passionate about serving the people in the city of Reno, Nevada. When she can do that with writing through exposing issues, it’s a win-win!