UK Government backs down on sex work legislation

The House of Lords has been debating the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill. This is a government Bill that proposed amongst other measures to replace the words 'common prostitute' with 'every person', create a new offence of persistent loitering, and provide for mandatory 'rehabilitation', with a penalty of 72 hours detention. These provisions (except the first) were vigorously opposed by sex workers and their allies as well as many affected groups like probabtion officers.

When this was sent to committee, a number of private member's amendments were tabled.

1. To remove all provisions except the 'common prostitute' one.

2. To insert a new clause exempting two women with or without a maid from the definition of Brothel.

3. To make the purchase of sexual services a criminal offence as in Sweden.

In the mean time, in response to pressure from extremists, the Government undertook to pursue yet another review of prostitution. Expert opinion is that this is fairly low level. A few ministers went to Sweden and the Netherlands to see for themselves these two contrasting approaches. So far they have only commented about the Swedish visit, and those views were met with generally hostile public opinion.

Symbolically there is little political capital for the Government in all this. If the Lords had succeeded in defeating these relatively small legislative measures, the Government realised it had no hope of passing more controversial measures (eg criminalising sale and purchase).

Public opinion is not supportive of more restrictive legislation and more recently the media are asking more critical questions and casting doubts on the claims on trafficking. A major campaign to raid all indoor premises (usually with all the press in tow) and 'rescue' sex slaves has turned up virtually nothing, and been a human rights disaster. As has been pointed out by several researchers, this obsession with slavery has meant the authorities are ignoring the fact that there are many sex workers, particularly migrants working under very poor conditions, and being exploited because they are vulnerable.

Suddenly the Government caved in on February 27th, and withdrew all the measures relating to prostitution in the Bill. I believe they sensed they were going to be defeated over this. British sex workers and their allies have been gathering support from around the world, and here in Canada we presented lengthy submissions on the legislation.

This has been an amazing experience bringing people together from many walks of life. The disabled put on a particularly poignant demonstration for their porn and sex.

Michael