The ECP campaigned against the Policing and Crime Act 2009, because it increased police powers to arrest women on the street and close premises where women were working in relative safety. But it was the clause that criminalised men for paying for sex with a prostitute forced or coerced that got the attention of the media and some politicians who campaigned for it under the false claim of equality ignoring evidence that criminalising clients undermines sex workers’ safety. The Act was passed at the same time as a Welfare Reform Bill which cut benefits thus making it harder for any woman to refuse or leave prostitution.
The ECP campaigned against the Policing and Crime Act 2009, because it increased police powers to arrest women on the street and close premises where women were working in relative safety. But it was the clause that criminalised men for paying for sex with a prostitute forced or coerced that got the attention of the […]
Recent legislation is further criminalising prostitutes but doing nothing about the reasons why they choose this workThe Policing and Crime Act came into force yesterday. Its anti-prostitution measures were put forward by government feminists who advocate the “Swedish model”.In 1998, Sweden passed legislation making it illegal for men to purchase sexual services. This was part of […]
“Criminalising young people in the sex industry will not help them escape prostitution. We need to give these young people opportunities to change their lives not give them a criminal record.” says Baroness Miller of Chilthorne DormerLib Dem peer, Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Dormer will today push the Government to prevent the further criminalisation of […]
English Collective of ProstitutesPO Box 287 London NW6 5QU Tel: 020 7482 2496 Fax: 020 7209 4761ecp@prostitutescollective.net , www.prostitutescollective.netDear Friends and supporters,We are writing first of all to say how very much we appreciate all the work people did against the prostitution clauses in the Policing & Crime Bill (PCB), and to give you a brief […]
SEX WORKERS NEED SAFETY AND RIGHTS, NOT CRIMINALISATIONDemonstration Against the Policing and Crime Bill12-2pm, Tuesday 3 November, Parliament SquareBring placards and red umbrellas and join the demonstration to demand:an end to the criminalisation of sex worksafety and other rights for all workers in the sex industry, including the right to unionisethe right to stay and not […]
Policing & Crime Bill: Prostitution proposals detrimental to safetyAs measures on prostitution in the Policing and Crime Bill are discussed this week, we respectfully ask Members of the House of Lords to consider our arguments on women’s safety and why we oppose Clauses 16 (loitering), 17 (‘rehabilitation’) and 21 (closure orders), as well as Clause […]
Unpublished letterDear Sir or Madam,Nick Davies parallels the lies on trafficking to those on weapons of mass destruction — the same disregard for the truth and for people’s lives to impose a reckless political agenda (“Sex, lies and trafficking — the anatomy of a moral panic” Guardian, 20 October 2009).Yes, the “speculative” claims of academics Kelly and […]
As individuals and organisations concerned with health and safety, we believe that legislation on prostitution should be judged first of all by whether it helps sex workers, especially women and their families. We don’t think the Policing and Crime Bill now before parliament does that. The harsher definition of persistent soliciting (twice over a period […]
By the English Collective of Prostitutes Co-ordinators of the SAFETY FIRST COALITIONHouse of Lords, second reading Wednesday 3 June.Using flawed trafficking statistics as justification, the measures target anyone involved in prostitution whether or not there is force or coercion. They would drive prostitution further underground and sex workers into even more danger. In the present recession, and […]
Policing and Crime BillSecond Reading, House of Lords, 3 June 2009Moved By Lord West of SpitheadBaroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: (Lib Dem) The Bill is the 66th criminal justice Bill since 1997. Between them, they have created 3,600 new criminal offences. We feel that the Government have still failed to understand that you cannot solve social problems by […]