Healy grew up near Eastbourne, with three siblings and "liberal-minded" parents. As a child she was involved in the anti-apartheid and anti-tour movements, and frequently attended marches and rallies. Her father passed away when she was 15 years old, making her last few years of high school particularly difficult. Healy went on to attend a Teacher's College, and build her early career as a primary school teacher. She now lives with her partner of 30 years in her childhood home.
Career
Healy worked as a primary school teacher in Wellington for nine years in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She was first introduced to sex work through her then flatmate, who revealed herself to be a prostitute. Although at first horrified, she once accompanied her flatmate on a night out, and eventually took home one of her clients. At that time, she decided that sex work was not for her, and continued teaching. Despite this initial disinterest, in 1986 Healy answered an ad to work in a massage parlour to supplement her primary school wages. After a year's absence from teaching, she decided to fully commit to her job as a sex worker. She began working in brothels, namely what is now the General Practitioner bar on Willis St. She reportedly received $2000 a month as a sex worker, compared to her salary of $400 as an educator, which she was able to spend on her frequent trips and adventures abroad. She worked for seven years as a sex worker, until eventually turning her focus towards advocacy for the protection of sex workers and decriminalisation of prostitution. The New Zealand Prostitutes Collective was established in 1987 to organise sex workers in this movement for protection and decriminalisation. Healy and her fellow members of the NZPC initiated this campaign for decriminalisation of prostitution. Prostitution was finally decriminalised in New Zealand in 2003 after the implementation of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003; Healy was in the public gallery to witness the final vote. On 24 February 2010, she was invited by the Oxford Union at the University of Oxford to debate whether prostitution should be decriminalised. She became the second New Zealander after David Lange to be invited to debate at the university. At the university, she argued for decriminalisation of prostitution and won the debate. Healy has membership of various boards and committees. She has been invited as a speaker at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and acts as an advisory on issues and policy formulations related to prostitution. The Prostitution Law Review Committee, a committee established by the New Zealand government, had Healy as one of its members. She has worked as a field researcher and has been involved with multiple research undertakings. She also works as a consultant for prostitutes of all genders, brothel owners and other persons involved in prostitution. With Gillian Abel and Lisa Fitzgerald, Healy has co-edited the book . The book argues decriminalisation has resulted in better working conditions for prostitutes. She lives in Eastbourne. On 4 June 2018, Catherine Healy was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit by Queen Elizabeth II on her official birthday. This award recognised her nearly 30-year career dedicated to decriminalising sex work. This high honour was approved by the Queen, in accordance with the advice of the prime minister. She was one of eight people awarded this special accolade in 2018, totalling five new dames and three new knights.
