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

STOP AND SEARCH

The police

Stop and search powers allow the police to combat street crime and anti-social behaviour, and prevent more serious crimes.

What happens if I’m stopped and searched?

If you are stopped you’ll first be asked where you’re going and what you’ve been doing. The police may then decide to search you but only if they have a good reason, for example, that you fit the profile of a criminal seen in the area, or they think you’re acting suspiciously.

Here are some facts about stop and search:

• the search will take place on the street
• if the officer asks you to remove more than your coat and gloves, or anything you wear for religious reasons, they must take you somewhere out of public view
• you’ll be asked to turn out your pockets and show the officers the contents of your bag
• they can also search your vehicle, even if you aren’t present, but they must leave a notice to say what they’ve done
• if you’re carrying something illegal, such as a weapon, or the police believe you’ve committed a crime, you may be arrested
• if they don’t find anything, your details will be recorded for monitoring purposes, and you’ll be allowed to go

What information will I need to provide?

You don’t have to give your name, address or date of birth to the police if you’re stopped and searched unless you’re being reported for an offence.

However, it’s advisable that when asked, you describe your ethnic origin. It’s important that you give this information to the officer, as this is how we monitor disproportionate stopping of ethnic minorities and encourage police accountability.

The officer will fill out a form outlining the reason for stopping you, the outcome of the stop and search and their name, and give you a copy. This information won’t be held on file against you unless you’re charged with an offence.

Can I complain about being stopped and searched?

You should not be stopped or searched just because of your age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, the way you dress or because you’ve committed a crime in the past.

If you believe you were stopped and searched unreasonably, or you weren’t treated fairly or with respect, you can complain to:

• your local police station (new window)
• a Citizen’s Advice Bureau (new window)
• the Independent Police Complaints Commission (new window)
• the Commission for Racial Equality (new window)
• a solicitor

Stop and Search Explained

If you're a teacher or a student, you might want to download the booklet designed for schools and community leaders from the Home Office Police website. Stop and Search Explained: How Police Powers Work in the Community explains more about what you can expect if you're ever stopped and searched, and explains your legal rights, and what the process is all about.

KNIFE CRIME STATISTICS Issue 16 July 2009

Latest crime statistics released

16 July 2009

Latest figures from the British Crime Survey (BCS) show that overall crime remains stable, with crime recorded by the police showing a 5% decrease compared with 2007-08.

BCS recorded violent crime remains stable, with police figures showing violence against the person has decreased by 6%.

The BCS figures also show:

• no change in domestic burglary
• vehicle theft and vandalism remain stable
• robberies remain stable

Police figures showed a 1% increase in domestic burglary and a 2% fall in non-domestic burglary. They also show a 10% fall in offences against vehicles and in criminal damage.

The figures show some signs of acquisitive crime increasing, with the BCS showing incidents of theft from the person rising by 25%, and bicycle theft up 22%. However, police recorded figures show a 12% in thefts from the person and no change in bicycle theft.

View the 2008-09 statistics on the Home Office RDS website.

Figures 'encouraging'

Home Secretary Alan Johnson described the statistics as ‘encouraging,’ pointing to overall crime falling by 36% since 1997 – a total of six million fewer crimes compared with 12 years ago.

He said, ‘Today’s figures show that the reductions in crime are being maintained and the risk of being a victim is still historically low.

‘Encouragingly, violent crime continues to fall with homicide figures now lower than they have been for a decade and attempted murder also falling. Overall, violent crime with injury is down 7% and there has been a 5% fall in recorded robberies, now at its lowest level since 2002.

'But we are not complacent. As in previous years we see changing patterns of crime and we know that during economic downturns certain crimes face upward pressure, which is why we’ve already taken action to tackle these head-on. Although today’s figures show signs of some acquisitive crimes increasing, the government is determined to keep these crimes down by continued investment in preventative measures, tough, targeted policing and historically high numbers of police officers.

'Of course statistics are only part of the picture and offer no comfort to victims which is why it is encouraging that confidence at a local level is rising with nearly half of people saying they feel the police and local agencies are dealing with antisocial behaviour and crime in their area.'

What is the difference between the BCS and police recorded crime?

Police records are one method of measuring crime rates. However, these statistics alone don’t paint an accurate picture because many crimes are not reported to police.

For the crime types it covers, the BCS provides a more reliable measure of trends in crime as it has a consistent methodology and is unaffected by changes in levels of reporting to the police, recording practice or police activity.

However, each source has different strengths and weaknesses, and together they provide a more comprehensive picture of crime than could be obtained from either series alone.

VICTIMS 2007-2008


STOP AND SEARCH

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