ABSTRACT
It is well-documented that sex workers can experience violence in their work, and in contexts where sex work is criminalised, sex workers face several barriers accessing justice when they are offended against. The risk of criminalisation creates distrust in police, making it difficult for sex workers to report violence. In 2003, New Zealand passed the Prostitution Reform Act (PRA), decriminalising sex work. This chapter explores the impacts of decriminalisation in New Zealand, focusing on how this unique legal framework has shifted the police role in relation to the sex industry, and outlining what this change has meant for sex workers.
