Amnesty International has long been seen as a global leader in human rights. But when it comes to sexual exploitation, Amnesty has betrayed women and girls. Instead of standing with survivors, Amnesty has chosen to side with pimps, brothel owners, and buyers of sex — the very people who profit from exploitation.
A Policy That Protects Exploiters
In 2016, Amnesty International adopted a policy calling for the full decriminalisation of the sex trade, including pimps and buyers. Amnesty presents this as a “human rights” approach, but the reality is stark: decriminalisation fuels trafficking, entrenches exploitation, and silences survivors.
Lobbyists with direct ties to the sex trade — including brothel owners — were deeply involved in shaping Amnesty’s position. Even groups later exposed for trafficking crimes were consulted as “experts.” Meanwhile, survivors of prostitution who opposed the policy were jeered at, silenced, or excluded from the conversation.
Survivors Want Exit Strategies, Not Pimps’ Rights
The voices of women in prostitution tell a different story from Amnesty’s narrative. Chelsea Geddes, currently prostituted in New Zealand, said:
“I have never met another woman in prostitution who wants our pimps and johns decriminalised… We would all leave immediately if we could.”
Survivors consistently report that most women in prostitution want to exit. They want real alternatives — education, housing, healthcare, and employment opportunities. Amnesty’s policy denies them this, insisting instead that prostitution is simply “work.”
The Harm of Decriminalisation
Evidence from around the world shows that decriminalisation expands the sex trade and worsens conditions for women:
- Increased trafficking: Countries that decriminalise prostitution see rising demand, more coercion, and greater involvement of organised crime.
- More violence: Far from creating “safety,” decriminalisation leaves women exposed to longer hours, harsher conditions, and increased abuse.
- Erosion of consent: Prostitution overwhelmingly involves women from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom were sexually abused as children. Treating prostitution as “choice” ignores this reality.
- Rape culture: By turning sex into a commercial transaction, Amnesty’s policy reinforces male entitlement and weakens women’s right to say no.
A Better Way: The Nordic Model
There is an alternative. The Nordic Model, pioneered in Sweden and adopted in other countries, recognises the reality of sexual exploitation. It:
- Decriminalises prostituted people,
- Criminalises pimps and buyers, and
- Provides real exit strategies and social supports.
This approach has reduced trafficking and empowered women to leave prostitution behind. It is the true human rights model.
Amnesty’s Betrayal
Amnesty International’s “sex work” policy is a betrayal of women’s rights. It silences survivors, ignores overwhelming evidence of harm, and aligns itself with exploiters rather than the exploited.
As Canadian feminist Lee Lakeman said:
“It is the poor brown women of the world who pay with bruises, humiliation and deaths for this ignorant and hideous decision that has brought Amnesty International so low.”
If Amnesty truly cared about human rights, it would abandon this policy and stand with women fighting exploitation. Until then, its reputation as a defender of justice rings hollow.