Prostitution laws set for radical review
The Home Office is to radically review Britain’s 50-year old prostitution laws.
The Government yesterday said it wanted to break the link between organised crime, drugs and the sex trade.
Ministers announced plans to combat the conspicuous display of prostitution on street corners in local neighbourhoods and stamp out kerb crawling and so-called boy racers.
Home Office minister Hazel Blears said kerb-crawlers and boy racers would also face unlimited driving bans under the new laws. From January 1st courts in England and Wales will be able to revoke drivers’ licences indefinitely.
She said: “Kerb-crawling and the anti-social use of cars can blight local communities causing misery and distress to people going about their daily lives.
“We are determined to deal with this growing problem and are giving courts the powers to ban drivers who use their cars to commit anti-social behaviour.
“These new measures will help put a stop to boy racers driving recklessly in parks and housing estates and kerb-crawlers harassing and intimidating women.”
Legislation on brothels and soliciting, last reviewed in The Sexual Offences Act 1956, is set for a radical overhaul.
The Home Office said it was “the time is right for sensible debate” and would publish the review’s findings as early as possible in 2004.
Several senior UK police chiefs have called for “zones of toleration” to be established.
Martin Smith, London organiser for the GMB union, shared the same sentiment, calling for “safety zones” where sex workers would not be prosecuted.
Edinburgh has had an unofficial tolerance zone for street prostitution in Leith for nearly 20 years.
