Harper Valentine says she's worked with many clients under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. She's even been nominated for multiple awards for her work in the field, but now, that's all at risk. NDIS Minister Bill Shorten recently announced plans to ban sex workers from being accessed using NDIS funding as part of planned reforms.
READ MORE: Four words Luritja woman Jess Beck is sick of hearing every NAIDOC Week But Valentine, a 29-year-old sex worker, argues that offering her services under the NDIS is "meeting [a] bare minimum human need." Shorten's office tells 9honey that out of 100 million NDIS transactions in the past 12 months, there have been 228 requests for sexual support activities, but not a single one has been approved. Valentine insists the demand for the service is there.
She can't speak on how her clients' requests are put into the system, but suggests that some may make the claim in other categories "in an attempt to avoid discrimination." "I'm not registered to invoice NDIS directly, so I invoice to my client and they then claim it back from NDIS," Valentine explains to 9honey. "Regardless, all of my invoicing is clearly marked with all of my details and services.
" Lex Leigh is also a sex worker who has seen clients through the NDIS, saying that several of her clients have had their claims under the NDIS denied, but have decided to save money to book an appointment privately. "I would say I have approximately 5-10 inquiries each financial year from disabled clients [asking] if I am an NDIS registered sex worker," she tells 9honey. "So there is definitely demand there.
" Explaining the reason behind the controversial move, Shorten explained that the intent is to "tidy up" the NDIS. READ MORE: Why Jo searches murky waters for these 180kg creatures. "This is not about stepping into people's personal lives, it's about what is appropriate to be spent using taxpayer-funded NDIS packages of support," a spokesperson for Shorten tells 9honey.
Speaking on Sunday Agenda on Sky News on July 7, Shorten said sexual services are being ruled out because they are not "a sustainable proposition," but Valentine argues that if so few claims are being approved, "then why is it such a burden to keep it on the scheme?" "[Just because] something is rare doesn't make it unworthy of our consideration," she says. "The reality is that it's happening every day, but pushing the idea that it's uncommon is just another way to sweep people with disabilities under the rug. "They know that both sex workers and people with disabilities are overlooked and looked down on in society, which makes us easy to mistreat with minimal repercussions.
" For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here . In multiple interviews, Shorten has referred to the issue as a "clickbait topic", telling Ali Moore on ABC Radio Melbourne Drive that "this stuff about the sex workers sort of got a life of its own." During a doorstop interview at Canberra's Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, he also compared the discussions to an episode of Seinfeld .
"Remember that [on] Seinfeld they used to argue nothing at all," he said. "So, do I think it's appropriate? No. Do I think it's an epidemic? No.
Do I think the NDIS is changing hundreds of thousands of lives for the better? Yes. Do I think that 99.99999 per cent of all people aren't seeking these services? Absolutely.
And if someone does, it's been rejected." But both Valentine and Kylie Wyote, a 50-plus sex worker, argue that the issue has become trivialised, explaining that sexual services under the NDIS can sometimes be the first and maybe the only time people with a disability are learning how to be sexual and intimate with someone else. READ MORE: Billy LeBlanc shares video update after partner's death.
Wyote points out that while many agree that our sexual education system is "weak" in general, sexual education is often non-existent for those with disabilities, making them more vulnerable to abuse than the general population. And it seems she's right, a study conducted by the royal commission in 2021 showed that people with disability are 2.2 times more at risk of sexual violence compared to those without a disability.
"Traditional dating just doesn't work for some NDIS clients," Valentine says, explaining that a lot of her NDIS clients are simply seeking companionship. "Sex and sexuality is not the only thing sex workers provide for these clients, both are equally important." She says her work can include everything from helping people get used to dating and interacting with new people to building confidence in those with physical disabilities.
READ MORE: Sarah Ferguson's shock move after Buckingham Palace's announcement "I've met completely bed-ridden clients that can't get up, eat or use the toilet without a carer," Valentine explains. "Under those circumstances, there's absolutely no way that most people can manage the companionship, social and sexual support they deserve. "We're talking about people who often have no other means to these connections with people," she added.
"Imagine a life with no social connection, no romance, no sexuality. Ever. "This isn't a luxury service for these people, this is meeting the bare minimum human need.
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