decriminalisation of UK prossy laws article

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External Link/Members Only

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A report by the Daily Star Sunday reveals the Home Office will be funding a year-long study on whether brothels should be decriminalised.

Existing legislation means that any premises used by more than one worker for prostitution is technically illegal, along with soliciting, kerb crawling and pimping.

It is thought more prostitutes are forced to work in unsafe conditions on the streets because of current laws that ban soliciting.

In 2013, Mariana Popa was stabbed to death in Redbridge, east London.

She had been working later than usual to pay off a police fine for soliciting, issued as part of Operation Clearlight, a police campaign to drive prostitutes off the streets.
Kathy explains that 'what happens upstairs, stays upstairs' in A Very British Brothel

What are the current laws around brothels?

    Prostitution is legal in England and Wales but brothels are currently illegal
    A brothel is understood as any premises, including a private flat or massage parlour, which is used by more than one worker for prostitution
    Soliciting, kerb crawling, pimping, owning or managing a brothel are all crimes
    A cross-party group of MPs want to decriminalise brothels to keep sex workers safe
    They believe the current law discourages sex workers from working together, which is generally safer

The Star reports that 152 sex workers were murdered in Britain between 1990 and 2015.

Campaigners believe that the current law discourages sex workers from working more safely together, and that a move to decriminalise brothels would help lessen the danger

A previous Home Affairs Select Committee enquiry into prostitution laws was disrupted when ex chair Keith Vaz became embroiled in a rent boy scandal.

A Home Office spokesman told The Star said last night: “The Government’s priority is to protect those selling sex from harm and exploitation, and target those who exploit vulnerable people involved in prostitution.

[HarryZZ]

I'm guessing they're right, it's safer in brothels with security in numbers. I wouldn't use a massage parlour or brothel though, for one it seems to clinical and for another there's always the chance of getting spotted entering one. So, I'm going to continue using independents in their own premises, and I suspect some others will feel the same.

[Itsnotshy]

Far too sensible an idea, not going to happen quite as us and the girls might wish.
Most likely they will decriminalise brothels and criminalise paying for sexual services with a fine as an option instead of jail.Making the brothels a honey trap and a revenue earner like speed cams.

[randyrobert]

Err-not quite right yodelling-as usual the media got it wrong.

The year-long study is not on whether brothels should be decriminalised but to :
•   develop a comprehensive typology of contemporary prostitution, incorporating the multiple realities of workers and others linked to prostitution and sex work. This will include street and off-street sectors; those working online; those trafficked for the purposes of sex work; and other relevant categorisations;
•   develop approaches for estimating the extent of each of these types of prostitution; and specify where further work needs to be undertaken
•   where possible, populate the typology using existing survey and administrative data

At least according to p66 of the tender for this work (External Link/Members Only )which is being commissioned on behalf of the home Office by the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales. The winner of the contract will be announced in March.

The background to this research (as stated in the contract document):

On 1 July 2016, the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) published their interim report on prostitution. The report made six recommendations: decriminalising soliciting; amending brothel-keeping legislation; deleting previous offences relating to prostitution; developing guidance for police and local authorities; policy changes to prevent trafficking and exploitation; and strengthening the evidence base on prostitution. The Government response accepted that there was a need for in-depth research to develop an impartial evidence base, which is vital prior to considering further changes to policy and legislation. (emphasis added)

The South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner has subsequently received a maximum of £150,000 funding from the Home Office to commission research on the nature and prevalence of prostitution in England and Wales.
In addition, South Wales Police have undertaken profiling analysis and consultation on a force basis to better understand the policing demands in terms of types of prostitution, sex work, brothels, online and associated vulnerabilities of sex workers. This work has been undertaken through the assessment of data and consultation with support providers, street sex workers and women working in parlours. Local findings are reflective of some of the issues highlighted by the Home Affairs Select Committee.

So this is a delaying tactic on behalf of HMG to responding properly to the recommendations of the HASC-given the very short timescales for both tendering and completing the research it is unlikely to be much more than a superficial desk exercise