How will Victoria’s sex work decriminalisation bill work and will it make the industry safer?

The Sex Work Decriminalisation Act 2021 is set to be debated in Victoria's parliament this week.

The bill will repeal offences for consensual sex work, strengthen anti-discrimination protections for workers and allow the industry to be regulated using existing laws that apply to all other Victorian businesses.

Here's a closer look at the legislation.

Sex work is currently regulated under a legalised model, meaning it is only lawful if it takes place under conditions set out in the Sex Work Act 1994.

Providers who operate a brothel or an escort agency, as well as sex workers who work independently, are required to obtain a licence to operate lawfully.

All sex work that occurs outside this system, including street-based work, is unlawful.

Sex Work Law Reform Victoria said the current model has created a "two-tiered industry", with about 80% of workers operating outside the law.