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Australia

We note an overrepresentation of the aboriginal population within the sex industry without the ability to quantify it more precisely. Aboriginal women and indigenous women from the Torres Strait are amongst the most discriminated against in the Australian population. Their life expectancy is 10 years shorter than the rest of the female population and they are more exposed to violence, particularly sexual violence.

Over the past ten years, the Australian government has been working towards closing the gap between populations (campaign “Closing the Gap”). Nevertheless, the protection of these women remains insufficient, as pointed out by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in July 2018, which recommended to the Australian government to “develop, in collaboration with indigenous women and girls, a specific national action plan on violence against indigenous women and girls” (§52, f)