In a subsequent law, some of the activities of prostitutes` clients were criminalized. The Sexual Offences Act 1985 created the two new offences of persistent crawling and poaching women for the purpose of prostitution. [63] Section 33A of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (inserted by sections 55(1) and (2) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) creates a one-way offence of directing, managing, acting or assisting in the management of a brothel used by people to engage in prostitution (whether or not they engage in other practices). The stigma surrounding sex work, especially prostitution, manifests itself in violence against sex workers. In a 2013 report, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended decriminalizing sex work to reduce physical, sexual and emotional violence against sex workers. [6] WHO has noted that the stigmatization of prostitution perpetuated by its criminalization can lead to isolating prostitutes from their family and friends, a form of emotional violence. In some cases, this can lead to increased difficulties for sex workers to leave abusive relationships. The criminalization and consequent stigmatization of prostitution places power in the hands of abusive partners; For example, this means that they may threaten sex workers with losing custody of their children. The report also found that anti-prostitution measures can provide police with cover for abuse of prostitutes when prostitutes are imprisoned or arrested for work-related crimes.
[7] In the early 2000s, there was growing concern about human trafficking, particularly allegations of underage women and girls being trafficked into the UK for forced prostitution. Accordingly, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 includes sections dealing with cases of sex trafficking. Section 57 of the Act covers trafficking in human beings in the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Offences relating to trafficking in human beings inside and outside the UK are included in Articles 58 and 59. These offences apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with section 22 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 providing for similar offences in Scotland. [130] The law uses a much more flexible definition of “human trafficking” than the international definition in the UN protocol, without a person having to be trafficked against their will or by force or force for sexual purposes. Simply mediating or facilitating the entry of another person into the UK for the purpose of prostitution is considered trafficking in human beings. Therefore, the law covers the movement of all sex workers, including volunteer professionals who simply travel in search of a better income. [85] [131] The increase in the number of prostitutes abroad in the 21st century has raised concerns about allegations of human trafficking and forced prostitution. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 includes sections that make trafficking for sex purposes a specific offence. In 2004, the Ministry of the Interior conducted a review of the payment of the price.
He focused on projects aimed at distracting women from prostitution and reaching out to those who are already trapped to help them get out. [64] A second Home Office study, Tackling the demand for prostitution (2008), proposed the development of a new criminal offense to criminalize those who pay for sex with one person who is controlled against their will for the benefit of another. [64] This approach to prostitution began to advance legislatively in 2008 when Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that paying for the sexual services of a prostitute under the control of a pimp would become a criminal offence. Clients could also be charged with rape for knowingly paying for sex with a trafficked woman, and first-time offenders could be charged. [65] The Police and Crime Act 2009 criminalized paying for a prostitute who is “subjected to violence,”[66] introduced closure orders for brothels, and enacted other provisions relating to prostitution. Prostitutes are regularly victims of crime because of the social and legal status of their profession. 180 sex workers were murdered in the UK between 1990 and 2015, according to figures from the National Ugly Mugs (NUM) programme. [123] Of the last 11 deaths, nine were migrants. [29] A 2015 University of Leeds study found that 47% of prostitutes had been victims of crimes, including rape and robbery, while 36% had received threatening texts, phone calls or emails. [24] The mortality rate for sex workers is 12 times higher than the national average. [18] A number of websites have allowed prostitutes to post warnings about potentially dangerous clients. In 2007, the Saafe (Support and Advice for Escorts) Forum created a centralized function using RSS from existing locations.
This did not work as well as expected and ended in 2010. In 2011, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced a pilot project for a national online network (National Ugly Mugs) to collect and distribute information. [124] The program was launched in 2012 and managed by the UK Network of Sex Work Projects. [125] It continued after its 12-month pilot phase and is still in operation. [89] [126] Decriminalization of prostitution is the regime practiced in some U.S. states and New Zealand.