Earlier this week, many Australians had smiles on their faces at Kevin Rudd's expense. This followed the reporting in the Murdoch Sunday papers of Rudd's visit to a Manhattan strip club four years ago.
To some extent, it was refreshing that most were able to brush it aside as an amusing but pointless smear that might do Federal Labor's election chances slightly more good than harm.
Vox pops broadcast on ABC Radio on Monday reflected the most common reaction: "He's human ... Most red blooded Australians would do something like that ... I reckon good on him ... I don't have a problem with it at all ... Fantastic ... I really don't mind ... Good form."
For most Australians, endearing naughtiness was the beginning and end of it. For his part, Kevin Rudd presented himself as properly contrite, doing the Christian thing that others such as Bob Hawke would not have been concerned about.
What was overlooked was the de facto promotion of the sex industry, and implicit tolerance of the damage it does to human dignity and the long struggle to ensure that women are not looked upon as sex objects.
Is taking part in the exploitation of women really something most red blooded Australians would want to do? Surely not if they were aware of the degradation caused to the lives of many women through being lured to work in the sex industry.
Many people are only aware of what is presented to them by the media or friends, family and work colleagues. For all the time given to superficial analysis of the Rudd Manhattan strip club story, media outlets have barely alluded to the consequences for the dignity of women. Coverage has amounted to fulsome promotion of the sex industry.
Sadly it is unlikely that many Australians will see the new local film The Jammed, which is reviewed in this issue of Eureka Street. It is not primarily about strip clubs, but it does offer a disturbing insight into the closely related sex trade, and the trafficking of women for prostitution. The film's researcher says 1,000 women are annually trafficked into Australia, in a growing industry estimated to be worth up to $150 million.
Reviewer Tim Kroenert suggests that human trafficking is integral to the whole sex industry. He describes the film as a "reminder that this issue is not just on Australia’s doorstep — tragically, it’s