Concerns over plans to jail sex workers


15 August 2007 10:14

Plans to put prostitutes in jail for soliciting have been described as a step backwards in tackling the problem by the city's support workers.

The new Criminal Justice and Immigration bill, due to be debated in parliament in October, is expected to give magistrates powers to detain soliciting prostitutes in prison for up to three days. Currently they only have the power to hand out fines or measures such as anti-social behaviour orders, which can lead to prison sentences if breached.

However, the plans have been criticised in Norwich where there are currently believed to be about 600 prostitutes working in the red light district, most of them aged between 18 and 24.

Support workers claim jail isn't the solution and more one-to-one work needs to be done with sex workers to get them out of the trap they find themselves in.

Sally Clarke, a volunteer at Norwich's Magdalene Project, which offers unconditional support and care to Norwich's sex workers through its drop-in centre, support programme, educational courses and outreach scheme, said: “There is insufficient help for prostitutes when they're discharged, and this will not help that.

“Prostitutes are victims of society, nearly all have been abused as children, and as victims they should not be imprisoned.”

Under the new law, prostitutes caught soliciting could be ordered to attend three meetings with a court-appointed expert to discuss “ending their involvement” with prostitution. Magistrates will be able to summon those who fail to attend the sessions before a court. Those who do not obey the summons can be arrested and imprisoned for up to 72 hours.

Julian Foster, pictured left, chairman of the leading community group Central Norwich Citizens' Forum, said: “I don't believe that prisons in any cases are the right way to deal with prostitutes. We are working with a joint approach with the voluntary organisations that work with prostitutes, police and drug agencies to devise a strategy that will get them out of prostitution without turning them into criminals.”

Police spokeswoman Kristin Fox said: “Norfolk Constabulary's approach to dealing with prostitution-related activity is to target kerb crawlers and to use anti-social behaviour legislation to deal with prostitutes. Prostitutes are given a caution the first time they are stopped. If they are stopped again they are issued with a second caution and if they are stopped a third time they are invited to sign up to an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC).”