JustThinking | could’ve been a contender

Danielle Strickland says: we need a fight

This week has been eventful in Australia. At the launch of the Red Shield Appeal in Sydney a group of sex workers from Scarlett Alliance (a local sex workers collective) stormed the event as a public protest against The Salvation Army. Apparently they were upset over one of the ads for the Red Shield appeal which featured the story of a male prostitute stuck in a terrible situation including drug addiction and how The Salvation Army flew him to a detox and treatment program and now he testifies to a better life. The suggestion that if you give to The Salvation Army you are helping others like him was apparently what was so offensive.

For those of you who aren’t from this part of the world and so aren’t caught up on the legislative nightmare that is legalized prostitution in Australia, there are three other articles that you may want to check out on theRubicon (Victims or whores | Banishing wickedness | Gunilla rocks). But this particular incident sums it all up pretty well - to help someone out of prostitution and then to tell others about it, is to attack the good-natured, work-friendly face that is legalized prostitution in Australia (and elsewhere).

Scarlett Alliance in its attack against The Salvation Army suggests that we really aren’t there to help people in prostitution, notwithstanding their position on the board at Australia’s only safe house for trafficked women in Sydney which is run entirely with Red Shield funding! Further, every single person involved in prostitution struggles with complex situations that can include post-traumatic stress syndrome, drug addiction, family violence, work violence and a myriad of other psychological dysfunctions that the degradation of sexual exploitation bring with it; and The Salvation Army repeatedly helps numerous people all of these situations.

So, let me recap my week for you. The official word to the professional sports teams that are dealing with repeated scandals of rape and group sex tendencies is ‘adopt a brothel’ and to The Salvation Army who is trying to help people out of prostitution the word is ‘stop it right now!’ Nice priorities.

The Salvation Army’s response was to apologize to everyone (that made the news in a hurry) and to remove the offending ad from the campaign. Hmmmm. For me this raises questions about our response to injustice and it’s collusion with corporate needs and financial structures - seemingly a constant and consistent tension around the world.

Read: The Australian | Salvation Army apologises to sex workers

Now, I do want to be fair as I know there is great wisdom in picking your fights in refusing to allow a small group to hi-jack an entire national campaign launch - after all why should we give Scarlett Alliance free publicity to promote their agenda? In some ways the Army’s quick apology and instant withdrawal was a way of ending the issue immediately - gone are the news cameras and the attention that Scarlett Alliance craves and that’s smart.

On the other hand - when do we have those discussions? When do we talk to the nation of Australia and tell them what we know for certain to be true - that prostitution is an evil institution that strips everyone involved of their dignity and value and worth? When do we speak about what is involved in cleaning up hundreds of lives as a direct result of the injustice and exploitation people find themselves involved with as they are used and then discarded by society? When is it time to raise concerns that legalized prostitution in Australia has only succeeding in increasing human trafficking, sky-rocketing the illegal sex-industry crime sector and luring young girls into prostitution before they reach the age of 15 ? When do we stand up and say, “actually, I’m glad you brought this up - we are tired of apologizing for cleaning up a mess that this society has brought on itself by its refusal to pay attention to the social costs of legalizing an evil industry. ”

Listen to ABC’s report - Salvos withdraw ad to appease sex workers - from the current affairs radio show The World Today

If it were William Booth directing the Red Shield Campaign in Australia this week I can’t help but think he may have pulled out the horses. Yep, get the horses out because this week we are going to march to Parliament and tell them that the evil they hide in their own habits, and the poor haunts of our cities is the very evil we are this day exposing and bringing to light. The evil of prostitution results in a sick society and an erosion of women’s rights around the globe and we are tired of slogans and governments turning a blind eye to truth in the name of political correctness and “tolerance” gone nuts.

Of course, it was William who mentioned something about loving a fight. But in today’s Army all of our fights have to be tempered by financial targets, corporate responsibility and Public Relations strategies. It’s an older Army now with more to lose than to gain by fighting… trying to keep the memory of it’s glory days alive by rigging present day fights, while playing as much footage as possible of the older rounds. But in doing this, the glory starts to fade and the fixed fights make the “old guy” look bad.

At some point, we need to dust off the belt, take it down from the mantle and show up in the ring of the present day for a real knock-em down, guts-driven genuine fight again. And who can tell the future? We could lose big, we could be injured and bloodied with our pride knocked loose and less a few teeth. Or we could win… bloodied, bruised and still a champion. Either way - at least we’d be in the game. We could be a contender again. If we want.

Writer: Capt. Danielle Strickland is currently the Social Justice Director of the Southern Australia Territory. She digs traveling, reading, running, speaking, basketball and movies. Her passion is grace, mercy and justice… and all the stuff in between. Her favourite question is ‘how hard can it be?’ and most of her days are spent answering it.

11 Comments to JustThinking | could’ve been a contender

1. Thank you for tackling this one so well Danielle. I’ve been incredibly conflicted between my professional PR hat which says “don’t give it oxygen or the crazies will run the agenda” and my fighting salvo justice heart.

   We are going to see more and more of this politically correct, morality vapid madness and it’s going to be a brave Commissioner indeed who goes against the PR-Fundraising scaredy cats and puts us back out there fighting evil.

   I don’t think we win any friends by being whimps or even perhaps by making a stand, but we do have to be true to our rhetoric or it’s over red rover.
Bruce Redman on May 29th, 2009

2. Thanks for this Danielle. It reinforces what I have been saying and thinking for a long time–that our good PR image is at times more important to the leaders of TSA than our requirement to stand for that which is right.

   God’s standard sees prostitution as wrong as a sin. Legal or not it is a degrading profession.

   And I think you are right about what William Booth and others from the early days of the Army would do—stand and fight for what is right, what is God’s standard.

   A couple of years ago a writer in a SA leadership magazine in Canada suggested that we need to change some of our views about things so as to not lose the money raised from many here in Canada. This is another example of PR fundraising trumping God’s standards.

   Our purpose is to bring the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus to the world. Our social work flows from that goal and if being involved in social service involves having to adapt God’s truth or ignore it then we need to reevaluate the service and give it up.

   It is reaching the point where Fundraising efforts to suppport our Social Services is forcing TSA to prostitute God’s standard for money.

   Shame Shame

   John Stephenson
John Stephenson on May 29th, 2009

3. Hey Danielle,
   This is a really great piece. You’ve really hit the nail on the head here.
   While I’m not always the biggest fan of the ‘army’ and the ‘battle’ metaphor, this is one ‘fight’ we need be involved in and I’d stand right alongside you in that war.
   My only challenge to you might be to remind you of Booth; not that you’ve ever needed that reminder. But he and Catherine did not sit around hoping that the leaders of their denomination would do the right thing (again, not that you do much sitting around and waiting). They gathered those horses and rode into battle and invited people to ride right alongside them. I would argue that the SA today is the very definition of what the Booth’s were rebelling against and it’s time for us to ‘go to war’ without waiting for the leadership to give us the aok.
   Perhaps, as was hilariously referred to in an Austin Powers movie, it’s time for there to be a militant wing of the SA. We’ve got to get out of bed with Caesar and only bend the knee to one God; the creator and preserver of all things.
   Respect,
   Dion
Dion Oxford on May 31st, 2009

4. Hi all,

   Yep, I’m going to post a ‘tempering’ (slightly alternate) voice again.

   First though, I would say I 100% agree on the evils of prostitution - you have NO IDEA how much I agree with you all on the evils of prostitution. I have spent a number of years working with sex addicts (and a lot of them had spent time as prostitutes). I have an adopted brother whose mother was a Prostitute and so I know how it can affect future generations.

   BUT!!!! We need to know how to fight, and what war is going to be like!!!!

   The fight is not glorious. Don’t forget, in Booth’s day, most of those who fought ended up in prison and/or in hospital (and I suspect a few ended up in the morgue). Children were targeted. So, we can fight, but be prepared to be slapped into prison, to literally die, and to have your children beaten to a pulp. Because that will happen if we fight. In places like Australia, if you fight and end in prison, you will find it exceedingly difficult to work again, you will be permanently unemployed (quite likely). I say again, there is no glory in warfare. There are no winners this side of eternity.

   The other thing I would say, is we need to be aware of what we are ’saving them to’. Our teachings, style of Christianity, although dear to many and seen as right and just and biblically based, does not offer much relief for these people. It creates just as many problems. They find it wonderful at first, maybe for a year or two (if they’re lucky), but it doesn’t offer what they need. What I found among those I worked with, is as a result, they are so hardened against the gospel saying ‘I’ve tried it, it made my life worse’. That’s the point when I was discovering them in severe chronic depression, attempting suicide etc.

   Yes, prostitution is evil and wrong - NO argument there. But maybe Scarlet Alliance can make us think that perhaps our methodologies might be wrong. Maybe we are not as biblically bassed as we think. Maybe we don’t know what the Bible teaches as much as we think. If any of that is true (which I suspect it is), then our work will be in vain, and not honouring to God, and perhaps, we will be called to account for it on the day of Judgement and asked why we should not have a ‘mill-stone tied around our neck and thrown into the sea’ because of what we have done - just like Christ condemned the Pharisees.

   Just a thought.
   Yours in Christ,
   Graeme.
Graeme Randall on May 31st, 2009

5. Danielle, with you here.

   Graeme, very true, we must count the cost of the fight. Recently preaching to a group of teens in the States, I confessed my anxiety to them, saying that if they took what I was saying seriously, some of them would probably be martyred, and that this would be at least partially my fault, and that I would consider it a good thing, giving glory to God. There was a lot of silence after that.

   If we are going to use the battle or warfare or revolution motifs, we have to acknowledge that Jesus already said it much more clearly - if any of you would come after me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me. The cost is our lives, there is no way around it. Losing employment would be denying ourselves. Being killed would be picking up our cross.

   I recently explained to someone that I felt the only thing I was permitted to risk was my life and well being, not the name of The Salvation Army. We’re ok with this, but it is somewhat frustrating. Worth it, but frustrating.

   Grace,

   Aaron
aaron on June 1st, 2009

6. some great comments here folks. I’m interested in all ends of the fight… in the background stuff that’s done in the hard work and funding of exit programs and alternative education for long-term sustainability of different kind of life… for women’s rights and equality as a consistent value and for rigorous public debate.
   I’m not convinced we have the right to speak on the public debate with any kind of authority without being involved with those stuck in the oppression and helping them out - that’s for sure. But at the same time, we need to be telling the truth - not just what people want to hear but the real truth.

   Now, Aaron - if only I could figure out how to separate me from The Salvation Army… hmm. I’ll keep working on it.
   Grace
   D
Danielle Strickland on June 2nd, 2009

7. Danielle,

   I’m a little slow. Are you suggesting that whatever you do The Salvation Army does? Perhaps that risking yourself *is* risking the name of The Salvation Army?

   If so, I’m not convinced that’s true, at least not in our case. I have been told specifically at times that if I am to pursue certain fights or risk myself or my well-being I am not to do so while representing TSA - in other words, I am only allowed to be martyred (or jailed) as a private citizen.

   But maybe that’s not what you’re saying, or maybe it’s different for officers.

   But what do we do when there is a fight that needs fighting, and TSA doesn’t want to hear it? (assuming we’ve put in the due diligence and actually tried to make a case). I say we have to fight anyways, but does that make me non-submissive to TSA? I don’t desire that at all, but I find myself in some awkward positions at times.

   Grace,

   Aaron
aaron on June 2nd, 2009

8. I think the final line of the first comment should be added to the article. “i don’t think we win any friends by being whimps or even perhaps by making a stand, but we do have to be true”. Since the Army was not born to offend or impress the world, we should stick to loving justice and living to see the truth prevail in our lives and the world. Its a call we cannot neglect, but that we must be led to and through by God for his people… Thanks for this post, but pray for me to keep Purity as the standard in my life.
Dietrich on June 3rd, 2009

9. A friend of mine once told me “you have to pick the hills you’re going to die on”. This is an old military saying, meaning that we must choose which battles, which ‘hills’ (strategic points) we are going to risk everything on and make a battle.

   Sometimes it’s about knowing how to fight, not just fighting because we see some sort of injustice. I’m not going to go into my own background - but injustice and persecution is something I am extremely intimately familiar with. So I know how important it is to hold back sometimes for the good of the greater victory.

   In regard to the original example given in the article, regarding Scarlet Alliance, there is a very important reason (all-be-it EXTREMELY controversial) why we can’t actively fight at the moment. We need to keep women alive!

   You see, the reality is, where prostitution is made illegal, and there is a strong fight against it, prostitution goes underground - and usually increases. The problem here is that there are less protections available for the women. They are more brutalised, they are not offered safe-sex teaching and aids such as condoms, and so more women are infected with dieseases such as HIV and Hep-C and other STI’s. These kill!!!! We need to keep women alive so that we can reach them!!!! So we can’t fight against prostitution aggressively. We need to go after those who control it. We need to teach the wider community about a better way to live without needing to use such people. We need to understand why people - including many ministers and Officers - use prostitutes, and then attack the problem that way. If we aggressively attack prostitution, we will be killing thousands of Women and men. That’s not what we want.

   Just something to think about.

   Yours in Christ,
   Graeme.
Graeme Randall on June 3rd, 2009

10. Aaron - I’m only suggesting that the sentiment is good… and I’ve tried to apply the principle myself - not going to rallies in Salvation Army uniform for example is one way to apply it - but I just find it next to impossible to speak out as ‘myself’ without it reflecting on The Salvation Army… perhaps it’s because my main ‘identify’ is as a salvation army person… I’m just saying - it’s a hard journey. I agree though - in the end our conscience and The Holy Spirit are the most important guide to how we live out truth in our day to day lives. Obedience is key.

    Graeme. I appreciate the argument of keeping women alive - I really do. There is just no documented evidence to suggest that legalising prostitution actually protects them. I’m familiar with the rhetoric of the debate… it’s just not true. Everywhere prostitution is made legal the illegal industry increases… the rights of women are not improved by legalisation… if only they were. The only country that seems to have had any success in granting women more rights is Sweden and their approach is largely ignored by so called ‘progressive countries’ even though the studies would suggest that it’s actually working.

    the underground argument is well used - but is not very true it seems. The underground prostitution industry in Aus. has increased significantly since the legalisation of prostitution. I’m not suggesting the criminalisation of prostitutes - I’m suggesting a re-examination of the legislation and something better.
    Anyway, it’s a big debate and we really ought to have it if we are interested in making the world a better place for the future. Justice and mercy will always live in tension.

    grace
    Danielle
Danielle Strickland on June 5th, 2009

11. Danielle,

    I don’t think illegal prostitution increases in places where it is made legal etc., I think what actually happens is the extent of what was already there is more and more realised. I suspect it actually decreases, althouth we could never proove it one way or another as I don’t believe we have accurate figures in the first place. Just like once science acknowledges and names a disease, they suddenly find a massive increase in incidences of that disease. The disease was always there - probably in greater proportion - just never realised.

    In discussions like this, statistics are not that usefull (I find that hard to say as I’m a bit of a statastician myself). All I can say is the people I’ve come across who are alive because they were able to get help/education medically without fear of recrimination. People who use safe sex practices as a result of education and programs that supply free condoms and so massively prevent the spread of STI’s.

    As I said, I believe the way to tackle this problem is two-fold:-

    1) Understand why people use prostitutes (and in doing so we would have to acknowledge WHO uses them, which includes ministers of all denominations, politicians, etc.). This will be the hardest thing of all to honestly do.

    2) What turns people to becoming prostitutes?

    We also need to realise that it’s not just women who are prostitutes, there are an awfull lot of male prostitutes out there - it’s just not recognised as much. I suspect there are probably almost as many male prostitutes as females (if the number of male prostitutes I know is any indication), it’s just that male prostitution is not often recognised as a problem. They are also not usually reffered to as prostitutes, so that colours people’s perception of how many male prostitutes there are.

    It is sad that the Swedish model isn’t taken more seriously. It might be an interesting study to find out why it isn’t taken more seriously.

    Yours in Christ,
    Graeme.
Graeme Randall on June 5th, 2009

Leave a comment