Good morning, Sian here. Sitting here, thinking what to tweet, I'm always surprised at how uncomfortable I am on social media as a survivor. In the past, I have stated simple truth from my past in prostitution, and have received endless accusations of wishing death on women, of hating freedom, of silencing others, and the classic 'SWERF' - an acronym designed to label and shame those who want a better life for women and girls and who believe our bodies shouldn't be available to buy like pork chops for men to use and cast off.
As just one person of the sadly thousands of women in the UK with experience of prostitution and abuse, I know my words don't carry any more weight than any other survivors'. But likewise, they do carry weight. You don't have to listen or believe if you don't want to - that's your choice, of course. There may be academic arguments to be had around prostitution and the use of and profit from the sale of women's bodies - I'm not sure Twitter/X is the best place for that discussion, but there's certainly a place for it somewhere.
What is absolutely horrible is the feeling when a survivor speaks, lays bare the reality of her experience in prostitution and how hard that was, and people simply replying that she's a liar, or that by recounting her experience and feelings she is somehow harming others, perhaps even deliberately.
It's designed to shut us up. When we shatter the illusion of empowerment and choice, even for a moment, some people with vested interests in keeping that illusion alive feel they have to stop us. Why? What is so wrong about pointing out the imbalance of power and the inherent exploitation in prostitution?
Many of us know exactly how it feels to claim prostitution was our choice, that it felt empowering, that we could afford our lives now and no-one had the right to take that away from us. Survivors aren't stupid. We've been there. I said it, as a 13 year old kid in a garage full of men who'd paid to be there. It was stupid, but I had no other choice. Even thinking about having no other choice was too much, so I didn't think about it at all. Just say the line, smile, and everyone goes away and leaves you alone. I had too many problems to solve in one go, so I just held on until life somehow changed. And I was lucky- it did. It doesn't for everyone.
The Nordic Model doesn't claim to make prostitution safe, or fair. Nothing can make it safe or fair. But it does give women options, where previously there may have been very few, if any. This is what women need. We're not stupid. We just need a chance, some support. That's why the Nordic Model has to include support services for women - in housing, healthcare, childcare, work, benefits, addiction services, studies.
I'm not an old bag, a jealous harpy or someone who just hates women and freedom. I've been there. I know so many others that have too. So many of us just wanted a hand up, and someone to believe in us. The Nordic Model, when implemented properly, offers that, which is why I support it.