Sex work, running a sex industry business and being a sex worker are all legal in NSWβbut only if they are done according to NSW laws and regulations. Anyone over 18 may provide sexual services to a person over the age of consent in exchange for money, goods or favours. Street sex work is lawful as long as it is not near or within view of a dwelling, school, church or hospital. A dwelling is any home or residence not attached to a shop or commercial premises.
No one may employ a person under 18 as a sex worker. The law says someone under 18 is a child. It is a serious crime to:. The clients of under-age sex workers can also face serious criminal offences. If you operate sex services premises you must make sure that sex workers are over The under-age sex worker cannot be charged as they are not committing an offence by working, only the person who employs them is.
But Police and the Department of Community Services DoCS can use child protection laws to protect children who they believe are at risk of harm. Clients must be over SWOP recommends that, for their own protection, sex workers should be cautious and only accept clients who are 18 or older. If sexual services are advertised or available in a premises it is legally defined as a brothelβno matter what the business is set up for, and even if the premises is only used by one sex worker.
The definition of brothels and sex services premises is important. In NSW the law focuses on the premises, or where sex work takes place. It is important that sex workers understand these laws. The legal age for a sex worker is 18 No one may employ a person under 18 as a sex worker. The legal age for a client Clients must be over The definition of a brothel or sex services premises In NSW, the law defines a brothel sex services premises very broadly.
They are premises that: are used for prostitution sex work or have been used for prostitution and are likely to be used for it again or have been advertised or represented as being used for prostitution, and are likely to be used for prostitution.
