Ban registered sex offenders from working in the sex industry

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the need to ban registered sex offenders, including serial rapists and convicted paedophiles from working in either the sex industry or stripping industries.

A conviction for the following offences can result in someone being on the registered sex offender list: rape, incest, bestiality, child porn and child molestation. Since 2023, sex work has been fully decriminalised in Victoria, giving sex workers rights at work, including the right to safely report crimes to police. However, there is a loophole in the law which currently permits registered sex offenders to work in the sex industry or stripping industry in Victoria.

This presents an unacceptable risk to sex workers and sex work clients. This is not a hypothetical. There is at least one known registered sex offender currently working in Melbourne with police unable to prevent this. By expanding the current prohibition applied to child related employment to also cover sex work and stripping, this situation can be rectified and safety for both workers and clients can be improved.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to implement a ban on registered sex offenders working in the sex or stripping industries.