Leeds managed zone

The Managed Approach (MA) was implemented in Holbeck, an inner-city area of Leeds in 2014 and allows street-based workers to operate in a particular zone within agreed hours without fear of arrest. The MA has relieved some of the burden of criminalisation and allows sex workers more of an ability to report crimes, but a managed zone is no substitute for decriminalisation, which would improve sex workers’ safety by allowing women everywhere to report violence, exploitation and abuse without the threat of arrest.

Please see here and here for ECP’s statements on the MA.

Statement: Leeds Council meeting on Holbeck Managed Approach

Joint statement in response to a White Paper Motion submitted by Leeds Councillor Amanda Carter on the Leeds Managed Approach, which reads:COUNCIL MEETING – 14 TH NOVEMBER 2018“This Council notes the mounting objections to the Managed Approach in Holbeck and further notes growing evidence of resident and business dissatisfaction with this policy. This Council agrees […]

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Statement: Response to criticism of the Leeds Managed Area

Women in our network were glad to work in the zone as it meant they could work without fear of arrest. We think that this should count for something, but it doesn’t seem to be considered by those that are criticising the zone. It’s unfair to label the zone as an example of decriminalisation gone […]

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Express & Star: Call for legal prostitution zone

By Alex RossA legal ‘prostitution zone’ should be introduced in a bid to tackle sex slavery in the West Midlands, an expert has said.The slavery investigator, whose identity cannot be revealed, says it would help ensure the safety of women, while reducing the amount of ‘pop-up brothels’.The idea has also been backed by the English […]

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Statement: BBC film is yet another biased piece on the sex industry

This BBC 3 film ‘Sex Drugs & Murder: Life in the Red Light Zone’ is yet another biased piece on the sex industry. Most street based sex workers are not drug users yet the film chooses to focuses only on women on drugs. It ignores the truth that in many areas around the UK the majority of […]

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Statement: Police and UK Border Agency actions targeting migrant sex workers

We are writing to express our serious concerns about a number of joint UK Border Agency and police operations targeting migrant sex workers which took place during the week commencing 17th October, the week during which Anti-Slavery Day, 18th October 2016, is marked.On Thursday 20th October in Soho and Chinatown, London, six premises were raided […]

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Buzzfeed: How Safe Are Sex Workers In The City Where One Was Killed Under Police Watch?

Can a “police-managed” area – one that effectively allows the street sex trade to operate legally – ever truly keep sex workers safe? BuzzFeed News spoke to the women in Holbeck, Leeds, to ask.A five-minute drive from the centre of Leeds lies Holbeck, an inner-city area that could be mistaken for any other industrial-led district […]

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Statement: Leeds “no arrests” zone

Re managed sex worker area in Holbeck, LeedsWe have the tragic murder of Daria Pionko in our mind because the managed zone didn’t save her from being viciously attacked. But we hope that the women who worked alongside her were able to come forward with information that helped find her killer, without fearing arrest for […]

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Mirror: Should a UK city be giving the green light to a red light zone?

Two experts debate whether cities should be able to have legalised prostitution zones Police in one British city are turning a blind eye to prostitutes after setting up a legalised red light district. And from today the controversial pilot scheme allowing kerb crawlers to look for sex between 7pm and 7am becomes a permanent fixture. […]

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