Prostitution amended UK law On 1 April 2010

Prostitution

The cost of prostitution to our society is too high and we are committed to tackling the problem.

The facts

Walk in a punter, walk out a criminal

On 1 April 2010, it will become an offence to pay for sex with someone who has been forced, threatened, exploited or otherwise coerced or deceived into providing the sexual services by someone else who has engaged in such conduct for gain.
Most women involved in street-based prostitution are not there through choice. They are among the most vulnerable people in our society. Nearly all prostitutes are addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Many of them have been trafficked into the country by criminals, and are held against their will. Many were abused as children, and many are homeless. 

Kerb crawlers, on the other hand, have a choice. Men who pay for sex are indirectly supporting drug dealers and organised crime groups, and funding violence and abuse. 
They are fuelling the exploitation of women by creating the demand for prostitution. 
In 2005, we developed a strategy to help communities deal with prostitution and sexual exploitation. Our strategy focuses on tackling demand and challenging the existence of street-based sex markets.

Tackling demand

In January 2008, the Home Office launched a six-month review to explore what further action could be taken to reduce demand for prostitution. The findings of this review were published in November 2008 in the report Tackling the demand for prostitution. 
The report calls for laws to be changed to make it easier for police to target those who pay for sex.

Kerb crawling - it costs more than you think

Raising awareness of the issues related to prostitution, particularly among those who create the demand for prostitution, is vital. We want to send a strong message to kerb crawlers that their behaviour will not be tolerated.

We developed a campaign to deter kerb crawling to offer both rational and emotional arguments against visiting prostitutes, in order to encourage would-be sex clients to think about the consequences of their actions.
If convicted of kerb crawling you could face:

• a £1000 fine
• losing your driving licence
• exposure of your habits to family, friends and work colleagues 

Change of prostitution law from 1 April 2010

If convicted of paying for sex with someone who is under 18, you could be sentenced to a lengthy prison term.  The maximum sentence for the offence varies according to the age of the victim and the sexual acts involved.
On 1 April 2010, it will become an offence to pay for sex with someone who has been forced, threatened, exploited or otherwise coerced or deceived into providing the sexual services by someone else who has engaged in such conduct for gain. If convicted of the offence you could face a fine of up to £1,000, a court summons and a criminal record and risk having your name mentioned in newspapers. It will be no defence for a person to say that they did not know the prostitute was being forced or threatened.
If you suspect a crime is taking place ring the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit the Crimestoppers website (new window).

Want to know more?

• find out more about our prostitution strategy
• get the lowdown on kerb crawling and the law
• learn more about prostitution and the law