It's now five years since prostitution was legalised in New Zealand and it appears the controversial law is working.
New research shows sex workers feel safer and have better working conditions.
Nearly two and a half thousand New Zealanders work in the sex industry.
Hana Tateoe, a sex worker, says one of the biggest differences after the law was passed was that her trade was now legitimate.
"I can't be criminalised for going about my business."
"I had my children, and I didn't have the fear of being arrested, I didn't have the fear of, who's this client, are they a cop, and checking them out and a continual low level of panic really."
When the law was passed in 2003 there were grave fears the number of sex workers would explode and there would be a surge in crime related to the sex trade.
Larry Baldock, a former MP, back in 2003 said the new law would increase criminal activity and lead to pimping.
"So a man or a woman can seek out a young attractive woman and encourage them, persuade them, lure them, to allow them to pimp on their lives and have the opportunity to make money out of selling these young peoples bodies."
Gordon Copeland, Independent MP, said that by encouraging something, New Zealanders would get more of it.
"We've encouraged brothels in particular by making them legal for the first time in our history."
But there has not been a major increase in brothels ever since the law was passed and researchers say the new law works.
"We've determined by the research that we have done that the numbers have remained the same," says former Police Assistant Commissioner Paul Fitzharris, the Prostitution Law Review Committee chair, which did the research on the prostitution industry.
And the group who represent these workers say it's also made a difference to working conditions.
Catherine Healy, who heads the Prostitutes Collective, says the new law has given prostitutes more power.
"Now they can actually enforce that their clients use condoms, their much more supported in the law in that respect, they can challenge bad management practices," says Healy.
Sex workers are hopeful, that as time goes on the stigma of being in the sex industry will fade too.
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