Diane Martin CBE

Prostitution/Trafficking Survivor-Activist committed to a world without prostitution. Love my cats Purr & Alan, Books, God, Barbie, Telly, My Bed & the Sea

[Nordic Model Now! @nordicmodelnow]

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.

[Venessa MacLeod @NessaMacLeod]

Cross reference this list with the MSPs who voted against the #Unbuyable bill… then launch an investigation to their finances and hard drives. Anyone voting against grooming gang inquiries AND the prostitution bill needs investigated.

[Allison @LetAlbaFlourish]

All 64 MSPs in @ScotParl who voted against @AshReganMSP Unbuyable bill should read this and hang their heads in shame.

Nothing changes until those with the power to make change, act!

@scotgov making excuses to to act for 19 years is simply shameful.

[jacci stoyle @JacciStoyle]

Well said!

[Venessa MacLeod @NessaMacLeod]

Day 2 since #Unbuyable bill was failed by the government. Today an ecocide bill was passed to stage 2, we can add ‘shrubs’ to the list of living things that have more protection than women in Scotland.

[CindyHoedel @CindyHoedel]

@akuareindorf @CrunchAlias The Scottish court is arguing that preventing a man from killing himself is more important than preventing him from killing a woman, wow.

[Allison @LetAlbaFlourish]

If brave Virgina’s sexual exploitation had happened in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 I’m afraid that given Scottish sex trade survivors experience, Scottish Government, would refuse to meet her. When pressured to do act, the minister ‘responsible’, wouldn’t call for action but a commission.
#UnbuyableBill

[Ash Regan @AshRegan_]

After refusing my FMQ request to meet survivors of prostitution,

ignoring 2 letters requesting to meet survivors,

2 days AFTER voting against the Stage 1 principles of Unbuyable Bill - @scotgov claim to support…

tonight I received a ‘response’ from the @ScotGovFM

[For Women Scotland @ForWomenScot]

Spot on piece which highlights the absurd rubbish spouted by @MaggieChapman & @agcolehamilton
"if prostitution is indeed a “meaningful and fulfilling” career that provides “a good living”, will any Scottish politicians be eager to give it a whirl, after the public votes them out?"

"we can’t wish murder away, either. Or burglary, assault, or for that matter any other evil we care to name. So does that mean there’s no point criminalising them, either? If it’s impossible to prevent a bad thing from happening every time, should we simply allow it to happen all the time?"
https://t.co/1Ie5O85BnU

[Diane Martin CBE @SISTERTeenybash]

@NessaMacLeod @gracebrod1e @LetAlbaFlourish @_sarahmasson @scotgov I’ve got no words left at the moment. 34 years of speaking about the realities of prostitution, 25 publicly and in the media, different parliaments etc. They know the truth and did this anyway. Self serving politics!

[Venessa MacLeod @NessaMacLeod]

@LetAlbaFlourish @_sarahmasson @scotgov Then they had the audacity to moan they hadn't heard survivors voices. We were sitting in the gallery listening to their lies, after months of screaming at them to listen to us!

[Diane Martin CBE @SISTERTeenybash]

@newsandpics Dignity? She’s off her sex trade supporting trolley!

[Diane Martin CBE @SISTERTeenybash]

Thank you! @VoteEwing

[Women Won't Wheesht 👩‍🦰 @TheParty1sOver]

An emotional @VoteEwing addresses the Scots Parliament on @AshReganMSP 's Prostitution bill

Damn all those who are against it!

[Women Won't Wheesht 👩‍🦰 @TheParty1sOver]

An emotional @VoteEwing addresses the Scots Parliament on @AshReganMSP 's Prostitution bill

Damn all those who are against it!

[Alison Weir- Deliberately defiant @WeirAlison]

@AshReganMSP was absolutely magnificent today. She has fought like a lioness to protect women and girls. Bravo Ash.

#Unbuyable

[Diane Martin CBE @SISTERTeenybash]

@ForWomenScot @JacciStoyle @theSNP Vulnerable not verbally!

[Diane Martin CBE @SISTERTeenybash]

@ForWomenScot @JacciStoyle @theSNP Steve Wright in the news this week for another murder. Known as a ‘good’ punter. He killed 5 women trapped in prostitution, probably more. The SNP just voted for him & not verbally women & girls. Shame on them. They heard the truth and chose the sex trade.

[Diane Martin CBE @SISTERTeenybash]

Scotland’s government ignored overwhelming evidence and survivor testimony and sided with the sex trade.
They protected buyers, shielded profiteers, and abandoned exploited women.
Cowardice over justice. Careerism over conscience

[For Women Scotland @ForWomenScot]

Shameful from @theSNP

What amendments do they want? They passed much more flawed legislation in the past - remember the push to get hate crime through in time with last minute amendments & chaos.

The fact is, they don't want to protect these women & they want to punish @AshReganMSP

[Lucy Hunter Blackburn @LucyHunterB]

As Regan closes, Harvie sits turned away from her, Chapman looks to be on her phone, Cole-Hamilton looks down, hand on chin, only Neil Gray on the Government front bench is turned towards Ash. Labour and Tories turned to watch her.