New Vice Law ‘Will Drive Prostitution Underground’

New rules aimed at tackling prostitution threaten to drive the sex trade “underground”, campaigners warned yesterday.Currently only someone selling sex can be prosecuted for soliciting. But the Prostitution Bill, published by the Scottish Executive yesterday, will allow police to prosecute both the buyers and sellers of sex as long as they are judged to be causing “nuisance, alarm or offence”.

Ministers also revealed draft guidelines recommending that men caught buying sex should be forced to pay for “kerb crawler education schemes” and children should be taught about the dangers of prostitution.

Campaign groups voiced concern that prostitutes will move to more isolated and potentially dangerous areas where they are less likely to face complaints.

Following the case of Gillian Gilchrist, a Glasgow prostitute who had her arm severed after being thrown from a car earlier this month, there are fears of growing violence against street workers.

George Lyon, the deputy finance minister, said the new rules would prevent either prostitutes or clients using residential areas to trade.

Residents of areas such as Leith Links in Edinburgh have long complained about prostitutes leaving needles and condoms in the area.

He said: “The current legal situation only criminalises women who sell sexual services – not the men who buy the services. There is a need to redress this balance to protect communities from anti-social behaviour arising from street prostitution, whether caused by the seller or purchaser.”

Mr Lyon also announced the consultation on draft guidelines for local authorities that recommend men caught buying sex pay for an education course on the damage prostitution causes to women.

In Hampshire, only four of 398 men who took the course re- offended. The one-day programme invited men to consider their actions from the viewpoint of their closest female relatives.

Mr Lyon added: “Legislation, on its own, cannot eradicate street prostitution. Ending prostitution requires local solutions in response to local needs.”

However, Ruth Morgan-Thomas, manager of the Edinburgh prostitutes’ support group ScotPep, said the legislation would make the streets more dangerous.

She said: “There is a possibility this law could make women more vulnerable as they will move into more isolated areas and use mobile phones to meet clients in remote spots.”

In the west of Scotland, at least eight street workers have been murdered during the past 15 years.

Ms Morgan-Thomas also pointed out that the guidance did not force local authorities to ensure women were safe.

She added: “What we have is legislation that continues to criminalise women without any burden on local authorities to put in place services.”

Margo MacDonald, independent MSP for the Lothians, said the new law would be difficult to implement. Rather than relying on complaints from third parties, it required police to decide if “offence” had been caused.
Bill ‘will drive women to take risks’

Working as a prostitute for 14 years, Jill Stevens has experienced everything from verbal abuse to attempted murder. But she says the streets have never been so violent as they are today.

Since a Glasgow prostitute was found staggering down a motorway earlier this month with a severed arm, she says working women have been on even higher alert.

“I am absolutely terrified,” she says. “I will only go out with another girl.”

The 33-year-old from Edinburgh fears the new bill, published yesterday, will only make the situation worse by driving women to more isolated areas to avoid complaints – especially drug addicts who take more risks.

“Most girls are going to remote areas alone to escape the police. It is very, very dangerous,” she said.