“The unsafe nature of the sex trade – legal or illegal – is clear from a recent application to the Parramatta council for a brothel with a ‘panic room’ where prostitutes could escape violent or abusive clients,” Steve Estherby of FamilyVoice Australia said today.

Rev Estherby praised Parramatta City Council, whose members voted 9-5 on Monday 18 October to oppose all applications for new or expanded brothels because of the dangers.

“I phoned Parramatta City Councillor Chiang Lim to pass on my congratulations,” Rev Estherby said.  “He told me about the brothel ‘panic room’ application.  He said the proposal for such a room demonstrates the harm of prostitution.  Parramatta City Council is not prepared to put women at risk.

“Prostitution harm  was further demonstrated yesterday, when a Wollongong mother was jailed for sending her under-age daughter to work in an up-market legal brothel where she was abused, degraded and forced to use illicit drugs,” Steve Estherby said.  “Legal clearly does not mean ‘safe’.

“Moreover NSW prostitution laws have failed to curb corruption – as shown by the conviction earlier this year of a Parramatta Council brothel inspector who had been taking bribes.

“Chiang Lim said, ‘We can no longer approve of an industry which puts women in harm’s way.  Decriminalising brothels was once promoted as a cure for police corruption, but 15 years of experience has shown the system is flawed.  Enough is enough!’

“I think most families would strongly agree,” Steve Estherby said.