The Argus: Campaigners urge Brighton council to change prostitution laws

Campaigners are urging the council to end the criminalisation of prostitution laws.

The English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) has gathered more than 1,300 signatures from local residents demanding that Brighton and Hove City Council does “everything in its power to protect sex workers in the city and use whatever influence it has to push for decriminalisation of sex work nationally”.

They are also calling on the council to provide resources to help people leave sex work if they choose.

They said: “We know this is a national change which needs to be made by the government, but we’re asking Brighton and Hove to set an example to other city councils.”

The petition was set to be presented and discussed at a full council meeting at Hove Town Hall yesterday (Thursday, December 19).

The meeting comes just two days after the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, December 17.

Prostitution is not illegal in the UK, but activities surrounding it are.

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 criminalizes controlling prostitution for personal gain, soliciting in a public place, kerb-crawling, and brothel-keeping. These offenses carry a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment.

The ECP say that as the law makes it illegal for sex workers to work together, this forces sex workers to make a choice: “to keep themselves safe and face the possibility of arrest or avoid a criminal record and put themselves in danger”.

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24808507.campaigners-urge-brighton-council-change-prostitution-laws/