Breaking the Cycle

Nordic Model Now! is a UK secular feminist grassroots women’s group campaigning for the abolition of prostitution and related practices (such as lapdancing, pornography and surrogacy).

Nordic Model Now!

Exposing the links between male violence, pornography and prostitution

Conway Hall

This event will explore how pornography and prostitution reinforce rape culture and the entitlement and objectification that drives male sexual violence – and what we can do about it.Are you worried about the increasing violence of mainstream porn? Or that the sexual harassment of teenage girls is on the rise? What about the three women killed on average by men in the UK every week? Or the 90% of girls and young women who have experienced sexist name-calling or been sent unsolicited nudes. Life in the 2020s has become a scary place for girls and young women.What does it do to men and boys to be exposed to the glorification of sexual violence, accessible in a second on their smartphones? A survey of young people aged 16–21 by the Children’s Commissioner found the average age a child first sees pornography is 13. The report concludes that porn plays a role in the rise of sexual assault between young people; and that boys who became regular viewers are more likely to engage in physically aggressive sex acts themselves. The ‘sex work is work’ narrative reinforces all of this and encourages men’s sexual use of women in prostitution. But what happens when they leave the brothel – can we really believe they don’t take those attitudes back home with them? And what of the women trapped in those brothels? All too often, they become collateral damage in men’s pursuit of ever more hardcore sexual desires.Sex trade survivors and other experts will share their real-world experiences to highlight these issues and what we can all do to tackle them.Come along and find out how to break the cycle.<h2>P﻿rogramme</h2><h3>Morning session </h3>Fiona Broadfoot: What about the girls? Drawing on her own experience of being groomed and sex trafficked as a 15-year-old and her many years working with marginalised women and girls, Fiona will discuss what is happening to girls, particularly those from the most marginalised communities, now that porn has infiltrated every corner of our culture and pimps and traffickers are celebrated. Michael Sheath: The connections between pornography, child sexual abuse material, rape and adult sexual exploitation. How contempt for women and children is monetised and amplified by the porn industry. Roxie Roots: Webcamming and OnlyFans. Roxie will explain the rise and the concept of digital prostitution websites and how they impact our culture.Object of consumption. A performance of writing by a young woman about her experiences of ‘sugar dating’. Dr. Gail Dines: Pornography and/as Male Violence Against Women. Dr. Gail Dines will explore the production and consumption of pornography as a form of male violence against women. Inherent in pornography is the debasement, degradation and humiliation of women as an oppressed sex class that normalizes, legitimizes and celebrates misogyny and racism. Also included will be analysis of how radical feminist thinking on pornography has been hijacked by the neo-liberal “feminists” who reduce the experiences of women porn performers to “sex-workers,” rather than sexual slaves. Solutions for radical social change will be discussed. Q&amp;A. Questions for the panel from the audience. Chaired by Shabbana Kiyani.LUNCH BREAK <h3>Afternoon session</h3>Kellie Ziemba: Remembering the women who didn’t survive. As 11 November is Remembrance Day, Kellie will present a short tribute to the many women who have lost their lives in the global sexploitation industry and will lead a minute of silence in their honour. Heli St Luce: What is the Nordic Model and how does it compare with full decrim? Heli will introduce the Nordic Model approach to prostitution and explain how it compares with the fully decriminalised approach beloved by the sexploitation industry – and why we must look at Germany’s legalised system if we want to understand what a fully decriminalised system would look like here in the UK. Huschke Mau: How legalisation made Germany the brothel of Europe. Drawing on her own experience and the latest studies and evaluations, Huschke Mau will explain the disturbing reality of Germany’s legalised prostitution system. She will show the terrible impact on the women trapped in the industry, how it is brutalising German society, and why the Nordic Model is the most hopeful option for bringing about change. Esther: Andrew Tate is not an anomaly. Drawing on her own experience in the industry, Esther will discuss Andrew Tate, and how sexual exploitation didn’t begin with him and won’t end with him while the means through which online sexual exploitation is facilitated remains systematically unchallenged. Alyssa Ahrabare, Ursula Le Menn and Lorraine Questiaux: Pornography on trial: Amplifying survivors’ voices to challenge impunity. Alyssa, Ursula and Lorraine will present two ongoing landmark French trials against the pornography industry and will discuss ongoing advocacy work, grassroots activism and survivors’ support, successes, setbacks, movement building across and beyond the feminist sphere, and strategic litigation – with the aim of inspiring practical resistance to the pornography industry worldwide. G﻿emma Kelly and Farah Hussain: Closing address and call to action.Q&amp;A. Questions for the panel from the audience. Chaired by Shabbana Kiyani.<h2>Ticket prices</h2>T﻿ickets are required for attending the event in person (which we recommend if possible). You do NOT need a ticket to watch the livestream or the recordings.Standard tickets: £10, Concessions: £5, Solidarity tickets: £20, Super solidarity tickets: £40.Please select the ticket price that best matches your financial circumstances. If you want to come but cannot afford a concessionary ticket, please email nordicmodelnow@gmail.com and we will do our best to provide you with a free ticket.If you want to purchase tickets for a group, please fill out the ticket form for each person, entering each person’s full name and email address. <h2>Livestreaming and recordings</h2>You DO NOT need a ticket to access the live streams or the recordings (these will be available after the event).The event will be live streamed on our YouTube channel in two sessions. The MORNING SESSION will start at 11am GMT. Here is the link:<a href="https://t.co/hs1MtWjpJW" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://t.co/hs1MtWjpJW</a>The AFTERNOON SESSION will start at 1.55pm GMT. Here is the link: <a href="https://t.co/C0ZL7ou5Jp" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://t.co/C0ZL7ou5Jp</a><h2>Practical stuff</h2>Food and drink: There will be a break of 50 minutes during the event. In order to keep costs to a minimum, we will not be providing any food or drink. There is a small cafe within the venue that will be selling hot and cold drinks and snacks during the day. You are welcome to bring your own packed lunch to eat during the break – or there are plenty of cafes nearby. We recommend bringing a bottle of water in case you are thirsty during the event.Accessibility: The venue is wheelchair accessible and there is an accessible toilet. If you need any special assistance, please don’t hesitate to email us at nordicmodelnow@gmail.com. For more information, see the <a href="https://www.conwayhall.org.uk/visit-us/access/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Conway Hall website</a>.Getting here: Please see the <a href="https://www.conwayhall.org.uk/visit-us/getting-to-conway-hall/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Conway Hall website</a> for detailed information about public transport, car parking, etc.After the event: We have booked space in a nearby pub, where everyone is invited to join us to continue the conversation in a more relaxed environment. Details of this will be announced at the end of the conference.<h2>Children and teenagers</h2>We apologise that we are not running a creche at this event. While babes in arms are welcome (please take them outside the hall if they cry), this event is not suitable for children.However, we encourage older teenagers to attend, but require parental supervision for those under 16.<h2>Questions</h2>There will be time for questions during the event, but you are welcome to email in advance any questions you would like the panel to consider. Please put ‘Event Question’ in the subject line and email it to nordicmodelnow@gmail.com. Time constraints mean we will be limited in how many questions we can address.<h2>This is a mixed event</h2>This event will include women talking about some of the worst forms of male violence. We ask everyone, but particularly men, to be mindful of this and how both speakers and members of the audience may find this triggering because it resonates with their own experiences of male violence. We ask everyone to be open and respectful.<h2>E﻿xhibitors</h2>T﻿he following organisations will have stalls at the conference:<ul><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BuildAGirlUk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">B﻿uild A Girl UK</a></li><li><a href="https://cease.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">C﻿EASE UK</a></li><li><a href="https://menchallengingsexism.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">M﻿ale Allies Challenging Sexism</a></li><li><a href="https://niaendingviolence.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">N﻿ia</a> </li><li><a href="https://stopsurrogacynowuk.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">S﻿top Surrogacy Now UK</a></li><li><a href="https://www.streetlight.uk.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">S﻿treetlight</a></li><li><a href="https://surrogacyconcern.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">S﻿urrogacy Concern</a></li><li><a href="https://ukfeminista.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">U﻿K Feminista</a></li></ul><h2>S﻿peakers</h2>Alyssa Ahrabare: Alyssa is a legal expert with a specialisation in Fundamental Liberties. A feminist activist, she has over seven years of experience working with NGOs to promote equality between women and men. As Advocacy and Legal officer of the <a href="https://www.migrantwomennetwork.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">European Network of Migrant Women</a> and vice-president of the <a href="https://www.womenlobby.org/French-Coordination-for-the-EWL" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">French coordination for the European Women’s Lobby</a>, Alyssa has worked on the conception and implementation of advocacy strategies for the abolition of prostitution and pornography in Europe, provided training to CSOs and migrant women on access to rights, and contributed to several feminist books, reports and publications. She has also founded a theatre company to fight sexist stereotypes through artistic practices.Dr Gail Dines: Dr Gail Dines, a Professor Emerita of Sociology, has been researching and writing about the porn industry for well over thirty years. She is a recipient of the Myers Center Award for the Study of Human Rights in North America, and author of numerous books and articles. Her latest book, Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality, has been translated into five languages. Dr Dines is the founding president and CEO of the non-profit, <a href="https://www.culturereframed.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Culture Reframed</a>. Dedicated to building resilience and resistance in children and youth to the harms of a hypersexualized and pornified society, Culture Reframed develops cutting-edge educational programs that promote healthy development, relationships, and sexuality. Dr. Dines has consulted for government bodies in the US, Brazil, UK, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Colombia, and Canada. She regularly appears on CNN, NPR, BBC, CBC, and writes for media outlets such as The Guardian, The Washington Post, Newsweek, and The Boston Globe. In 2023 Dr Dines was named one of the top 10 most influential women sociologists in the world by Academic Influence.Esther: Esther has a longstanding interest in research on legal and public policy approaches to sexualised violence and domestic abuse. She uses her own experience of porn and prostitution to reflect on these issues.Farah Hussain: Farah is Director of <a href="https://ukfeminista.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">UK Feminista</a>, a feminist organisation that works to support organisations and individuals to take action towards equality between women and men. Farah was a Labour local councillor for eight years in London and has worked in national and regional politics. Fiona Broadfoot: Fiona was groomed into prostitution by her ‘boyfriend’ when she was 15 and only managed to escape when she was 26, after hearing that her cousin, who had also been exploited in prostitution, had been murdered by a punter. Since then, Fiona has been a passionate activist against the sex trade and is the founder of Build a Girl, a social enterprise working with girls at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation.G﻿emma Kelly: Gemma is the chair of Nordic Model Now! and is Head of Policy and Public Affairs at <a href="https://cease.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">CEASE</a>. She has over 18 years’ experience working across a range of organisations – leading, developing and running advocacy, policy, research and campaign strategies and activities – in national and international contexts. Areas of interest and expertise include anti-human trafficking, addressing all forms of sexual exploitation online and off, addressing men’s violence against women and girls and child rights. She holds a Master of Arts in Human Trafficking, Migration and Organised Crime and a Master of Arts in Equality Studies and a BA in Social Care.Heli St Luce: Heli designs and facilitates workshops and writes. She works with pseudonyms to encompass her varied areas of operation. As Maxi McNaughty she is a therapist, healer, and ceremony and ritual guide. As Ms Ina Propriate she performs. The constant is the use and sharing of her powerful and moving voice which inspires and gives her work a unique quality.Huschke Mau: Huschke was, with interruptions, in prostitution in Germany for about ten years, having been introduced to it as a sexually traumatized girl living through an economic emergency by a German police officer, her first pimp. She is now a passionate activist against the sex trade, a published author and she is writing a PhD. She is the founder of <a href="http://netzwerk-ella.de/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Network Ella</a>, Germany’s advocacy organisation for women in and out of prostitution who want the Nordic Model for Germany. Kellie Ziemba: Kellie is the CEO at <a href="https://kairoswwt.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Kairos Women Working Together</a> (Kairos), a specialist organisation in Coventry who support, advocate for, and empower women to increase their safety, stability, self-belief, and self-reliance to build fulfilled lives, free from violence, abuse, and sexual exploitation. Kellie has lived experience of sexual exploitation, both as a child and as an adult within the sex industry. She is passionate about amplifying the voices of the women supported by Kairos and using her own lived experience to advocate for women’s rights and push for social change.Lorraine Questiaux: Lawyer at the Paris bar and feminist activist specialized in litigations regarding women’s rights.Michael Sheath: Michael is a qualified social worker and probation officer who worked for 25 years for the <a href="https://www.lucyfaithfull.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lucy Faithfull Foundation</a> (LFF), a UK-wide child protection charity dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse. During his tenure at LFF, he delivered hundreds of days training to social workers, probation officers, and police officers. He was also involved in ‘whole community’ safeguarding assessments in a number of British Overseas Territories, including Pitcairn, and the Falkland Islands and acted as ‘Staff Trainer’ for Europol’s ‘COSEC’ course for fifteen years, a 10-day course which trains police and prosecutors to investigate online sexual offences against children. He is contracted to work with Europol, Cepol (The European Union police training centre, in Budapest), and INHOPE, which manages the activities of Hotlines dealing with indecent content on the Internet. He is the author of a play, now a book, ‘Crossing the Line’, which deals with issues relating to secondary harms and vicarious trauma in investigations related to the downloading of child sexual exploitation material.Roxie Roots: Roxie is a trauma survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) who ended up in the sex abuse industry after a lifelong struggle of not fitting in. She has experienced all forms of the commercial sexual abuse trade, including digital exploitation as she witnessed the rise of OnlyFans. She has experienced herself how pornography shapes and fuels our culture and she now speaks publicly about her life experiences and has a special focus on talking to youth about the marketing of “sexual liberation” by educating about its harms.Shabbana Kiyani: Shabbana has been involved in the campaign against the sex trade for several years. She has worked in education for 28 years in a number of roles from classroom to leadership. Shabbana will chair the event.Ursula Le Menn: Ursula is a legal expert and spokeswoman for <a href="https://osezlefeminisme.fr/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Osez le Féminisme!</a>, a nationwide French feminist organization which was created in 2009. Osez le Féminisme! is civil party in two criminal cases against the porn industry in France and accompanies more than 50 victims in order to amplify their voices and challenge impunity. As a feminist activist, Ursula focuses on the analysis of the judicial system and the abolition of all sexual violence. She is an expert in feminist social media communication and campaigning.

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Breaking the Cycle

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