| It is ironic that the Act to decriminalise
homosexuality also contained provisions for increased victimisation
of a marginalised group.
Tagged on to the end of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)
Act 1993 were further restrictions on prostitution. Under
the new act, prostitutes are now liable to fines of up
to £1,000 and up to six months in prison. In addition
anybody caught soliciting sex from prostitutes or believed
to be "kerb-crawling" face fines of up to £500.
Most political parties raised no objections to this attack
on prostitutes' right to earn a living. They wanted to
decriminalise homosexuality with the least fuss possible.
FIVE YEARS ON
The Council for the Status of Women welcomed the proposed
legislation without raising a single objection to the
sections on prostitution. These restrictions will cause
further victimisation and hardship for women working as
prostitutes but as suspected, the Council is only concerned
with the status of some women.
The Minister for Justice argues that these restrictions
will "provide further protection against the exploitation
of people who feel they have no choice but to prostitute
themselves". In fact, they will have the opposite
effect.
PIMPS AND PROTECTION RACKETS
In the past, prostitutes could sometimes call on the police
for protection. Under the new act, if a prostitute calls
on the police to protect her from attack, she is liable
for prosecution herself. A possible outcome of this is
an increase in pimps and protection rackets.
The increased fines means prostitutes will have to work
longer hours in order to cover the cost of fines. The
increased penalties for keeping a brothel means that more
prostitutes will be forced to work on the streets rather
than in the safer conditions of a massage parlour.
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