Directed by Shareen Anderson, centred on the Survivor Model, an approach that decriminalizes prostituted individuals while holding traffickers, pimps, and sex buyers accountable, with testimony from survivors, law enforcement, policymakers, and advocates.
Within The Right Track there’s a very relevant, poignant debate to be had, does decriminalizing sex work actually make it safer or does it open up other possibilities for violence that will be more difficult to prosecute? Particularly highlighting the prevalence of trafficking, even in countries where it’s already decriminalised. It’s an interesting discussion and it’s refreshing to see it coming from those who have experienced that world first hand and are fighting to build a better one for those still in it.
Keeping in mind, The Right Track is fervently coming from the Survivor Model perspective of this argument, so it is fairly singular. It doesn’t give them a lot of room to expand into a real debate but then that’s also not something you can explore in a ninety-minute documentary. Its purpose feels more so to give you an idea of that perspective and how the justice system often fails to take into account the violent circumstances leading women to prostitution and how it continues to punish them more than the clients or traffickers.
Especially in highlighting how women from particularly vulnerable communities are manipulated into sex work from such harrowingly young ages. It’s undoubtedly moving, poignant and very admirable to watch these women tell their stories and be so committed to creating a better path. However, as well as it sticking to that one perspective, it feels like it’s also jumping around too much to let the points really land and to delve deeper.
Something that’s highlighted further by its very simple style. Arguably there is no need for flash or edge, the story requires a simple sincerity but this example of it feels old-fashioned. It needed some stronger editing to really guide you through The Right Track. Something to more effectively pull together all of these stories, the ending does attempt to do that but to a certain extent it feels performative, like a political stunt, rather than a resounding emotional moment.
The Right Track has a strong point to make amount how decriminalizing prostitution does not inherently rid that world of the risk of violence and sex trafficking. Highlighting how these women continue to be in danger and to be manipulated into this work. It attempts to show another path, a way to try and protect them but while it makes some great arguments, the tone and style aren’t of a quality to really drive it home. It’s quite basic and doesn’t feel as though it does justice to the pain these women are openly exploring and the importance of their message.
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