I’m a bit late with this, but better late than never… Back in November, we reported on the Policing and Crime Bill, which has clauses that provide for someone to be prosecuted for rape if he (or she?) has sex with a sex worker who is ‘controlled for gain’ – such as a trafficked person. The Bill has since been making its way through the various stages of the legislative process. I think the most recent hearing was on January 19th 2009. Trafficking people is an evil that needs to be eradicated. But it’s not really clear that this Bill will help. The English Collective of Prostitutes is not in favour and says that the Bill will make sex work even more hazardous and drive prostitution further underground. They have produced a Briefing, which details the problems they have identified with the Bill, which are many and various. The Briefing also includes statements from some sex workers, whose voices don’t tend to get heard much in discussions concerning their trade. The English Collective of Prostitutes also emphasises the need for feminists (amongst others) to pay attention to what sex workers have to say about the issues that concern them, and to theorise with that in mind.
3 thoughts on “Policing and Crime Bill – Prostitution”
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Feminist Philosophers 
I totally agree that sex trafficking is an evil trade – also that this bill will not assit to deal with this organised activity – stricter border controls are required.
Prostitutes – I discovered in the fifties – sixties were most human – I discovered how very pleasant and helpful many were in my policing duties – in East London we protected the street prostitute when ever possible from harm. In return they assited police in regard to drug dealers and violent crime. If a police officer was having a problem making an arrest – violence towards him, prositutes would jump onto a bus travelling along the Commercial Road looking for another officer to inform him/her that one of their colleagues required assistance.
If such a relationship existed in Ipswich would those ladies have been murdered?
Interesting – thanks Ken.
If such relationship existed?? Should it matter whether there is a cohesive relationship between the law providers and sex workers?. Under human rights law, every member of society is entitled to protection. That stands for trafficked individuals but also most certainly for choice sex workers, whom it seems are being dragged within the framework of this bill, all it appears to result in is every foreign accent being assumed as trafficked and every punter being seen as a rapist. This is peoples income!, recognise, respect and react accordingly.