"8 Minutes" is a new reality TV show which follows a cop turned minister who finds sex workers and in 8 minutes convinces them to leave their lives of sex work.
The concept of this show is extremely invasive for street sex workers, who are filmed without consent, although the Executive producer Tom Forman said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly "We go back to them later and ask [for permission]." to show their face.
Sex workers lives are not entertainment. This show is not only degrading in nature, but it doesn't find sex workers, it tricks and manipulates sex workers into allowing him to come into their private space and then sets about abusing their human rights and expects these women will later consent to him using their face on television - this man is not only delusional but dangerous and this program should be cancelled before it starts unless the broadcaster wants a law suit for aiding and abbetting this abuse.
Sex workers are human beings with a brain just like everyone else and can make choices for themselves about how they earn their living. The problem is with the law that continues to enable broadscale discrimination such as this.
If this ex cop / Church group/ TV station really want to assist sex workers they should be lobbying to recognise sex work as a legally recognised occupation and pushing for full decriminalisation of the sex industry. This would mean that those who do want assistance to leave could do so without being criminalised and subjected to this kind of discrimination and stigma, while allowing those who continue sex work to be treated equally to all other citizens.
