Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
International

British Lawmakers Call For Legalising Prostitution

Darpan News Desk IANS, 04 Jul, 2016 11:44 AM
    A cross-party group of British lawmakers led by Indian-origin lawmaker Keith Vaz has called on the UK government to decriminalise sex work and prostitution, first time in decades that Parliament has considered the "polarising" subject.
     
    The House of Commons' Home Affairs Select Committee (HAC), which is chaired by longest serving Indian-origin lawmaker Keith Vaz, had conducted a review into the practice and released its interim report last week.
     
    "This is the first time that Parliament has considered the issue of prostitution in decades. It is a polarising subject with strong views on all sides," Mr Vaz said in a statement.
     
    "As a first step, there has been universal agreement that elements of the present law are unsatisfactory. Treating soliciting as a criminal offence is having an adverse effect, and it is wrong that sex workers, who are predominantly women, should be penalised and stigmatised in this way. The criminalisation of sex workers should therefore end," he said.
     
    The HAC said the UK Home Office should immediately change existing legislation so that soliciting is no longer an offence and brothel-keeping laws allow sex workers to share premises, without losing the ability to prosecute those who use brothels to control or exploit sex workers.
     
     
    The committee called for "zero tolerance" of organised criminal exploitation of sex workers and demanded legislation to delete previous convictions and cautions for prostitution from the record of sex workers, as these records make it much more difficult for people to move out of prostitution into other forms of work if they wish to.
     
    "The committee will evaluate a number of the alternative models as this inquiry continues, including the sex-buyers law as operated in Sweden, the full decriminalised model used in Denmark, and the legalised model used in Germany and the Netherlands," Mr Vaz said.
     
    The interim report released on July 1 will be followed by final recommendations based on a study of the various models.
     
    Britain has around 70,000 prostitutes who make an average of 2,000 pounds (USD 2,653 or Rs. 1.7 lakh) a week, according to the report's estimates.
     
    Sex workers in Britain charged an average of 78 pounds (USD 103 or Rs. 6,925) for services and had around 25 clients per week.
     
    Under present UK law, it is not illegal for consenting adults to buy and sell sex but soliciting it is not permitted.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Wrong Number? Donald Trump's TV Telephone Interviews In Spotlight

    In television news, a telephone interview is typically frowned upon. Donald Trump's fondness for them is changing habits and causing consternation in newsrooms, while challenging political traditions.

    Wrong Number? Donald Trump's TV Telephone Interviews In Spotlight

    Clinton Feels The Bern With Sanders Sweep

    Clinton Feels The Bern With Sanders Sweep
    Hillary Clinton felt the 'Bern' as rival Bernie Sanders swept all three Democratic presidential nomination contests, giving the frontrunner a warning that the race for the party's nomination is far from over.

    Clinton Feels The Bern With Sanders Sweep

    Syrian Army Retakes Ancient Palmyra City, 400 ISIS Militants Killed

    Syrian Army Retakes Ancient Palmyra City, 400 ISIS Militants Killed
    The Syrian army fully recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria on Sunday, following days of intense battles against the Islamic State (IS) group.

    Syrian Army Retakes Ancient Palmyra City, 400 ISIS Militants Killed

    Pakistan Army Called To Rein In Violent Pro-Mumtaz Qadri Protestors

    Pakistan Army Called To Rein In Violent Pro-Mumtaz Qadri Protestors
    The government has called in the army to control the law and order situation.

    Pakistan Army Called To Rein In Violent Pro-Mumtaz Qadri Protestors

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses
    The Council approved in Geneva on Thursday his appointment to the position formally known as "Special Procedure Mandate Holder".

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest
    These ice-fall doctors prepare the route from the base camp to the summit, paving the way for climbers to ascend the peak.

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest