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Chapter one: prostitution Prostitution

Information from Politics.co.uk

What is prostitution? The Policing and Crime Bill, organised crime, poverty, drugs, child Prostitution describes the offering introduced to the Commons in abuse and people trafficking. and provision of sexual services for December 2008, creates a new offence Virtual imprisonment has become financial gain. of paying for sex with someone who a particular problem in recent In the UK, prostitution itself is is controlled for gain and introduces years, notably since the fall of the not illegal but there are a number of new powers to close brothels; it Iron Curtain and the break-up offences linked to it. For example it also modifies the law on soliciting. of Yugoslavia. There has been an is an offence to control a prostitute Following a Second Reading in increase in the ‘white slave trade’ from for gain, or to keep a brothel. January 2009, the bill was sent to a Eastern Europe and Russia, along Prostitution has a close affinity Public Bill Committee for scrutiny, due with a general influx of organised with a host of other important social to be completed in February 2009*. crime, with many women thought to issues, in particular crime, drugs, be living as virtual slaves. sexual equality, poverty and health. Controversies Because prostitutes have large Although there are exceptions, As with all matters of sexuality, numbers of sexual partners, they most prostitutes are women selling prostitution continues to be debated are more likely to have sexually their services to men. on both social and moral levels. transmitted infections and be vectors Opponents of prostitution and moral for spreading these infections – Background conservatives believe the practice is adding a public health dimension to Prostitution is sometimes referred to intrinsically morally corrupt and a the debate. as ‘the oldest profession’, as it meets challenge to family values, therefore The Government says it wants to the natural urges of humans in return regarding a ban to be justified in reduce prostitution in the UK and, as for money, and is often claimed to be the name of public morality. Many some say legal controls are too blunt as old as civilisation itself. religious groups adopt this position, a tool, is trying to establish what The legal regulation of prostitution adding another aspect to the debate. policies would work. For example, in the UK was set out in the Sexual However, many who regard in- in 2002 the Government made a Offences Act 1956, which reflected the volvement in prostitution as a matter total of £850,000 available for groups findings of the Wolfenden Committee of private morality still argue for legal working in a multi-agency context investigation into prostitution and regulation. to implement local strategies for homosexuality that took place around Prostitution’s quasi-criminal status reducing prostitution-related crime that time. has led it to be closely associated with and disorder. The Wolfenden Committee treated prostitution and its status in the law as a moral issue and this was reflected in the text of the Act. This led to famous debates between Lord Devlin and the philosopher Herbert Hart. In late 2003 the Home Office Illustration: Angelo Madrid announced its intention to review the Selling Sex laws on prostitution with the aim of p1 overhauling the dated regulations of the 112 x 78mm 1956 Act. Subsequently amendments relating to prostitution were made under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 with regard to the following offences; “causing or inciting pros-titution for gain’, ‘controlling prostitution for gain’, ‘penalties for keeping a brothel used for prostitution’ and ‘extension of gender specific prostitution offences’.

Issues www.independence.co.uk 1 ???????????

Some argue that licensed brothels from prostitutes’. greater risk of disease. We will seek would help to ensure worker safety, And Shadow Justice Minister, amendments.’ keep them off the streets, help prevent Henry Bellingham stated, ‘We do Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman health problems, bring revenue to not in any way want to stand up for Chris Huhne, Commons debate – January the Treasury and remove the need the people who feel they have to, in 2009 for exploitative and abusive pimps. unfortunate circumstances, go and ‘JUSTICE has not taken a position However, many others find this use prostitutes. We are concerned, on the morality of prostitution but morally repugnant. however, about bringing in credible we believe that – as in the case of The murders of five prostitutes in law that will stand the test of being controlled drugs – while it is possible Ipswich in November and December put through the courts.’ that legal prohibition may deter some 2006 reignited calls for a new men from using prostitutes, many approach to tackling the issue. Statistics others – in particular those with less a There are estimated to be around respect for the law in general – will 80,000 people involved in pros- not be so deterred.’ titution in the UK. Human rights organisation JUSTICE, There are estimated a Research by the Poppy project briefing on second Commons reading of to be around 80,000 identified 1500 establishments Policing and Crime Bill – January 2009 people involved in involved in the off-street sex prostitution in the UK industry in London alone. ‘Kerb crawling fuels the exploitation a The prostitution market in the of women by indirectly supporting UK is calculated to be worth up drug-dealers and abusers. If you to £1bn, with estimates of the frequent prostitutes, you could be In November 2008 the Home proportion of UK men paying for contributing to the violence and Office published the findings of a six sex ranging from 4.3% to 11%. abuse these women already face, often month review into how the demand Source: Home Office review ‘Tackling the against their will.’ for prostitution could be reduced. Demand for Prostitution’ – November homeoffice.gov.uk – 2009 Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, in 2008. ‘We oppose the government’s pro- a foreword to the review, stated: If convicted of kerb crawling you posals which would create new ‘So far, little attention has been could face: offences relating to: 1) paying for focused on the sex buyer, the person a a £1000 fine sex, 2) brothel keeping, and 3) kerb responsible for creating the demand a losing your driving licence crawling. It is clear that the intention for prostitution markets. And it is a exposure of your habits to family, is to target anyone involved in time for that to change.’ friends and work colleagues prostitution whether or not there is But Government plans to create If convicted of paying for sex with force or coercion. ‘ a new law under the Policing and someone who is under 18, you could ‘As the economic recession hits, Crime Bill making it an offence to face life imprisonment. many more women are likely to resort pay for sex with someone who is Source: homeoffice.gov.uk – 2009. ‘controlled by another for gain’ is to prostitution to feed themselves causing particularly controversy. Even Quotes and their families; if prostitution is forced further underground by these if the person paying for sex is unaware ‘There will be no more excuses for measures the risks they are forced to that the prostitute is trafficked or those who pay for sex. This new take will be greater.’ controlled by a pimp, they will still be criminal offence of paying for sex with English Collective of Prostitutes – October liable for prosecution and if convicted someone who is trafficked or pimped 2008 will be given a criminal record and a will apply even if the buyer claims he fine of up to £1000. did not know the woman was being * Scotland has a separate Parliament The Bar Council has warned that controlled for gain. and legal system and so have different the offence as currently drafted risks ‘I also want to tackle kerb crawling. legislation around street prostitution. The convictions that may be seen as unfair In my book, once around the block is Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 by reasonable people and that such once too many, and so I’m making kerb- covers those ‘selling sex’ in public and the convictions would bring the criminal crawling punishable as a first offence. Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act law into disrepute, particularly given I also want to see more naming and 2007 covers those ‘buying sex’ in public. the stigma that would result. shaming of persistent kerb crawlers.’ The Policing & Crime Bill will not apply Concerns have also been raised Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Home to Scotland. by several MPs including the Labour Office press release – November 2008 chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Keith Vaz, who said that ‘We entirely agree with the objective, a The above information is re- he was ‘not convinced that the best but the proposed reforms will not printed with kind permission from course of action is to prosecute in achieve the desired outcome. They Politics.co.uk. Visit www.politics. the proposed way men who go into will drive sex workers underground, co.uk for more information. situations where they wish to buy sex into less safety, more isolation and a © Adfero

Issues www.independence.co.uk 2 ???????????? Prostitution: a summary

A briefing from the Fawcett Society

Prostitution in the UK health outreach provision for a An estimated 80,000 people work women in the sex industry at all. in prostitution in the UK. Logo a Most services currently provided a 9% of men in the UK have paid for women in prostitution focus for sex, and 4.2% have done so in on their sexual health, rather the last five years. In the 1990s, the than addressing issues such number of men buying sex in the prostitution report that they are as prosecuting client violence, UK doubled. doing so to fund an illegal drug housing, drug counselling and a The wider sex industry, including habit.1 education. pornography and lapdancing, is a A recent survey found that 82% expanding and has been shown to Violence of support agencies in London have strong links with prostitution, a 81% of women working in street identified a lack of provision of both among women working across prostitution and 48% of women safe housing for women wishing the sex industry and clients. in indoor prostitution have to exit prostitution or leave violent experienced client violence. pimps. a A qualitative study found that 27% 9% of men in the UK of women in street prostitution and Alternative policies 8% of women indoor prostitution a Decriminalisation is designed to have paid for sex reported being raped in the past improve the working conditions six months. and safety of women in prostitution, a Only one third of women in by giving them the same rights as Routes into prostitution prostitution report client violence other workers. New Zealand has a 52% of women in street prostitu- to the police. decriminalised prostitution. tion were under 18 when they first a Reasons for this include concerns a Legalisation brings prostitution worked in prostitution. about anonymity and disbelief under the control of the state a Three quarters of women in street that the criminal justice system and the law. In the Netherlands, prostitution report being physically will be effective in prosecuting for example, brothels must abused by their partners. perpetrators. meet conditions regarding their a 37% of women in prostitution a 44.1% of street workers compared location, management and work- have spent time in care. to 18.6% of indoor workers report place standards in order to receive a 22% of women in prostitution were violence to the police. a license. This policy has the same homeless or living in temporary aim as decriminalisation but accommodation when they first The law enables greater regulation. sold sex. a Street prostitution and loitering a Criminalising demand is predic- a 74% of women in indoor pros- or soliciting for prostitution are ated on an understanding of titution, and 28% of those in illegal, as are ‘kerb crawling’, con- prostitution as a form of gender street prostitution cite household trolling prostitution for gain, and inequality and male violence expenses and supporting their owning or running a brothel. against women. Swedish policy children financially as their a In 2003, the Sexual Offences Act accompanied this legal change primary motivation. set more stringent penalties for with funding for prevention, exit a 81% of women in off-street people traffickers and those who strategies and campaigns to change prostitution in London are non- commercially exploit children. attitudes. UK citizens. a Criminalisation makes both the Current practice buying and selling of sex illegal. Substance use a In 2002, there were 2,678 convic- This policy is in force throughout a 69% of women working in indoor tions for soliciting in comparison most of the USA. prostitution, and 93% of women to only 993 convictions for kerb in street prostitution use illegal crawling, and 127 for exploitation a The above information is reprinted drugs.1 of prostitution. This means that with kind permission from the Fawcett a 34% of women working in indoor those working in prostitution were Society. Visit www.fawcettsociety.org. prostitution use significant amo- more often punished than their uk for more information and to view unts of alcohol during work hours.11 customers or pimps. references for this piece. a 62.7% of women working in street a Fifteen boroughs have no sexual © Fawcett Society

Issues www.independence.co.uk 3 ??????????? Public’s views on prostitution

Information from Ipsos MORI

psos MORI recently undertook of an attempt to reduce trafficking Similarly, while 38% of the public a two-part survey for the Govern- of women and children from abroad feel it is acceptable for a woman Iment Equalities Office on the into prostitution in the UK, almost to sell sex to a man (and 53% subject of prostitution. The first survey, six in ten (58%) support the measure, find it unacceptable), these figures carried out among a representative while three in ten (31%) oppose it. shift to 22% acceptable and 69% sample of 1,012 British adults between The August survey, carried out unacceptable when respondents 11-12 June 2008, found that attitudes among a representative sample of were asked ‘to imagine that the towards prostitution are mixed, with 1,010 British adults between 29-31 woman selling sex is related to you, almost half (49%) agreeing with the August 2008, shows that public for example your sister, mother or statement ‘most prostitutes are only acceptability of both buying and daughter’. in that role because they are victims selling sex drops off when people There is no difference in attitudes of exploitation’ and a third (34%) consider that the buyer or seller is towards the legality of purchasing or disagreeing. However, almost six in a relation. For example, two in five selling sex: 50% feel the purchase of ten (59%) agree with the statement (39%) feel that it is very or fairly sex by men should be legal (and 43% that ‘prostitution is a perfectly acceptable for a man to purchase think it should be illegal), and 51% reasonable choice that women should sex with a woman, and more than feel the sale of sex by women should be free to make’, while a quarter (27%) half (52%) find this very or fairly be legal (and 42% think it should disagree. unacceptable. However, when the be illegal). The June survey also found that question asks ‘Please imagine that 4 September 2008 more than a third (37%) say they the man purchasing sex is related would not feel ashamed if they found to you, for example your brother, a The above information is re- out a family member was working as son or father. In this case would printed with kind permission from a prostitute, although 60% say they it be acceptable or unacceptable?’, Ipsos MORI. Visit www.ipsos-mori. would feel ashamed. When asked acceptability drops to 10 points 29% com for more information on this whether they would support or oppose and unacceptability increases 10 and other topics. making it illegal to pay for sex as part points to 62%. © Ipsos MORI

IPSOS MORI STATS 171 x 100mm

Issues www.independence.co.uk 4 ???????????? Prostitution – fact or fiction?

Information from the Women’s Support Project

any statements are made wouldn’t even feel like I was in my Traumatic Stress’ edited by Melissa Farley, about prostitution: about body. I would actually leave my body 2003. Pg. 277 Mits nature; about the women and go somewhere else with my involved and about how governments thoughts and with my feelings until he If it weren’t for prostitution, more should address it. This can often lead got off me and it was over with. I don’t women and children would be to people being misinformed about know how else to explain it except it raped the reality of prostitution. This leaflet felt like rape. It was rape to me.’ There is absolutely no evidence for highlights ten statements commonly Quoted in ‘Dissociation Among Women this claim. This myth is offensive to made about prostitution and provides in Prostitution’ by Ross, Farley and men who choose not to abuse and rape additional information to help you Schwartz in ‘Prostitution, Trafficking women. Does anyone really believe distinguish between what is fact and and Traumatic Stress’ edited by Melissa that men are incapable of control, what is fiction. Farley, 2003. Pg. 206 and that they will inevitably rape a woman or child if they are denied sex? Women choose to get involved in In addition, this position ignores the prostitution sexual abuse of women in prostitution, Most women enter prostitution A Glasgow study showed which many women who have escaped because of lack of choice: it is the that 24.5% of the prostitution refer to as ‘bought rape’. men who buy sex who are exercising women surveyed had 78% of 55 women who sought help free choice. It is well documented from the Council for Prostitution that the vast majority of women in entered prostitution Alternatives in 1991 reported being prostitution are poor, homeless, and before age 18, with 8.2% raped an average of 16 times a year have already suffered violence and starting at age 16 or by pimps, and were raped 33 times a abuse throughout their life. Many year by johns. enter prostitution before age 18. under Susan Kay Hunter, Council for Prostitu- A Glasgow study showed that tion Alternatives Annual Report, 1991, 24.5% of the women surveyed had Portland, Oregon, quoted at: http:// entered prostitution before age Women are in prostitution because www.rapeis.org/activism/prostitution/ 18, with 8.2% starting at age 16 or they enjoy sex prostitutionfacts.html under. How much would you need to enjoy sex ‘Where is she tonight? Women, street in order to want to do it 20 or 40 times It would be better for women if prostitution and homelessness in Glasgow’, a day? Apart from the risk of STDs, prostitution was legalised and by Audrey Stewart, 2000. the human body is not designed for regulated Prostitution is just sex the level of sexual activity that women Prostitution is harmful in and of itself: The single most harmful aspect of have to endure in prostitution. It legalisation doesn’t remove that harm prostitution for women is to have causes physical harm, which has been – it simply makes the harm legal. to repeatedly endure unwanted sex. exacerbated by increased demand for A US survey of 119 women Although the women are agreeing to anal intercourse, threesomes, and engaged in prostitution reported sexual activity, this is unwanted sexual double penetration, which in turn is that performing prostitution was a activity. In order to be able to do it, driven by pornography. negative and/or traumatic experience the women need to learn to dissociate ‘A girl who enters prostitution at for the women 90% of the time. (‘split off’ in their head). Dissociation fourteen will have submitted to the Fifty-two percent of the women can cause lasting psychological harm. sexual demands of four thousand men stated that performing prostitution Women who are not able to ‘split before she is old enough to drive a car, was physically painful and 76% off’ will use drugs and/or alcohol to eight thousand men before she is old reported it was emotionally painful. achieve the same effect. This is why enough to vote and twelve thousand Seventy-three percent of the women women will start to use drugs, or their men before she is deemed mature indicated that performing prostitu- substance use will rapidly escalate, enough to buy a single beer in many tion involved pushing away their true irrespective of why they first became [US] states.’ emotions and 70% reported using involved in prostitution. Vednita Carter & Evelina Giobbe substances to detach emotionally ‘I would numb my feelings. I quoted in ‘Prostitution, Trafficking and during prostitution.

Issues www.independence.co.uk 5 ???????????

into Sweden for sex. The Swedish government estimates that in the last few years only 200 to 400 women and girls have been annually trafficked into Sweden for prostitution, while in neighbouring Finland the number is 15,000 to 17,000’. Stat: those who have visited prostitute, would consider doing so, would From ‘Swedish Prostitution Ban An consider sex for money (Guardian) Apparent Enormous Success’ By Thaddeus 112 x 91mm M. Baklinski, 2007, at http://www. lifesite. net/ldn/2007/nov/07111506. html

If prostitution were legalised and regulated, licensed brothel owners would not hire illegal, underage or trafficked women Not so. Pimps – owners of brothels, escort agencies, and ‘saunas’– want to make money. They don’t care if someone is illegal, a child, or trafficked. Prostitution is a market ‘Emotional Experiences of Performing to give client oral sex; vaginal rape based on demand and if there is Prostitution’ by Lisa Kramer in ‘Pros- and anal rape. a demand for illegal activity, this titution, Trafficking and Traumatic ‘Violence by clients towards female will be provided. Pimps, traffickers, Stress’ edited by Melissa Farley, 2003. prostitutes in different work settings: procurers and especially punters flock Pgs. 194–195 questionnaire survey’ by Stephanie Church to wherever the prostitution industry et al in BMJ 2001;322:524-525 (3 March) is allowed to thrive. Working indoors is safer and offers ‘In New South Wales, brothels were better conditions for women in Legalising or decriminalising decriminalised in 1995. In 1999, the prostitution prostitution will stop illegal number of brothels had increased It doesn’t matter where prostitution prostitution and trafficking exponentially to 400–500. The vast takes place: unwanted sex is unwanted The legalisation of aspects of majority had no license to operate’ sex. prostitution in Australia, and its Jan Raymond, Coalition Against Traf- In addition to physical violence, decriminalisation in New Zealand ficking in Women, quoted in ‘A Critical women in indoor prostitution report has resulted in an increase in illegal, Examination of Responses to Prostitution high levels of coercion and control hidden, and street prostitution. in Four Countries’, by Bindel and Kelly, from pimps and brothel owners, Decriminalisation promotes sex 2004. Pg. 13 including being pressurised or forced trafficking into countries where not to use condoms, having to see prostitution is trivialised. On the If prostitution were just treated like more customers than do women on other hand it is reported that there any other job, this would remove the street, and having to have sex with has been a dramatic decrease of the stigma against the women pimps or brothel owners, and/or their trafficking into Sweden since that As soon as you start to view prostitution friends, for free. Women in indoor country criminalised the buying of as work, the harm is made invisible. prostitution also have to compete sexual services. Prostitution is intrinsically harmful with each other to be ‘picked’ by the Jonas Trolle, an inspector with the and traumatic and just calling it a job customer, which causes additional Stockholm police unit dedicated to won’t make it harmless. If prostitution psychological distress. combating prostitution: were to become just another form A report in the British Medical ‘We have significantly less pros- of employment, then brothels could Journal about client violence to- titution than our neighbouring advertise in job centres and benefit wards women in prostitution stated countries, even if we take into claimants would risk having their that of the 125 women in indoor account the fact that some of it benefit cut if they refused employment prostitution contacted, 48% had happens underground … We only in brothels. And how many parents experienced client violence. The types have between 105 and 130 women would be happy with the local brothel of violence experienced included: – both on the Internet and on the coming along to the school careers slapped, punched, or kicked; rob- street – active (in prostitution) in night? bery; attempted robbery; beaten; Stockholm today. In Oslo, it’s 5,000 Recognising prostitution as work threatened with weapon; held against … Another relevant aspect of the ban also means an end to services to will; attempted rape; strangulation; is the reduction of the number of support women out of prostitution. kidnapped; attempted kidnap; forced foreign women now being trafficked If it is ‘just a job’ why would

Issues www.independence.co.uk 6 ????????????

either the Government or charitable because no one wants prostitution information on prostitution and organisations encourage or support zoned into their neighbourhood or trafficking. women to get out? near their children’s school, as has http://www.prostitutionrecovery.org: a ‘In Germany the service union happened in New Zealand in the website to help people escape the life ver. di offered union membership past few years. of prostitution, survive, and recover to Germany’s estimated 400, 000 ‘In October 2003 Amsterdam City from its long-term effects, and to sex workers. They would be entitled Council took the decision to close provide education about the effects of to health care, legal aid, thirty down the street tolerance zone; Mayor prostitution on those used in it, and paid holiday days a year, a five-day Job Cohen noted that the situation its effects on the larger community. workweek, and Christmas and was a ‘devil’s dilemma’ because ‘it http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/ holiday bonuses. Out of 400, 000 sex appeared impossible to create a safe dworkin: a selection of Andrea workers, only 100 joined the union. and controllable zone for women that Dworkin’s writing. http://www. That’s 0.00025% of German sex was not open to abuse by organised ecpat.org. uk Website of End Child workers. Women don’t want to be crime’ Prostitution, Child Pornography and prostitutes’. ‘A Critical Examination of Responses to the Trafficking of Children for Sexual ‘Frequently Asked Questions About Prostitution in Four Countries’ by Julie Purposes. Prostitution. ‘Answered by S. M. Berg. Bindel and Liz Kelly, 2004. Pg. 12 http://www.oneangrygirl.net/antiporn. In addition, in 2007 Amsterdam html City Council announced it would be ‘A girl who enters closing many of the windows where prostitution at fourteen Legalising prostitution would women are prostituted in the red- save a lot of money because police light area. Job Cohen, stated: ‘Since will have submitted to wouldn’t have to make arrests, and the legalization in 2000, things have the sexual demands the state could collect taxes changed … The law was created for of four thousand men In every instance where prostitution voluntary prostitution but these days has been legalised or decriminalised we see trafficking of women, exploita- before she is old enough one of the stated aims has been to tion and all kinds of criminal activity.’ to drive a car’ reduce crime. Experience has been http://www.taipeitimes. that you simply get different types of com/News/world/ crime, such as gang warfare between archives/2007/09/22/2003379920 http://www.cwasu.org: training, different criminal groups, including consultancy and research from a for example, firebombing of rival Further information on prostitution feminist perspective. establishments. Brothels shelter can be found at the following http://www.myrnabalk.com: website of other forms of criminality, such as tax websites: Myrna Balk, artist and campaigner evasion. Pimps are simply not going http://womenssupportproject.co.uk: against sexual exploitation. to hand over the massive profits that information on the work of the project, are a part of the industry. Women in including resources available. a The above information is re- prostitution do not wish to register as http://prostitutionresearch.com: printed with kind permission from a prostitute, nor to pay tax on money this site offers information and the Women‘s Support Project. Visit earned through unwanted sex. research on women abused through www.womenssupportproject.co.uk In addition decriminalisation has prostitution. for more information. resulted in expensive legal challenges http://catwinternational.org: © Women‘s Support Project

Issues www.independence.co.uk 7 EAVES Big Brothel

Brothels in London: unique new research exposes reality of the off-street sex industry

ig Brothel: a survey of the girls available. be assumed that the numbers in the off-street sex industry in Many of the brothels advertised report represent the tiniest tip of BLondon, to be launched on 4th were operating as legitimate businesses a very large iceberg. It is estimated September by Eaves’ POPPY Project, – licensed as saunas or under the guise that between £86-209.5 million is exposes the alarming growth of the of massage parlours, although the vast generated for brothels through illegal off-street sex industry in London majority of premises were private flats newspaper ads alone. and the proliferation of dangerous in residential areas. Helen Atkins, co-author of Big practices. The launch is timed to Harriet Harman says: ‘Prostitution Brothel, comments: ‘it has been coincide with a visit to the POPPY is the abuse and exploitation of said that we are never more than Project by Minister for Women and women by men, and this important six feet away from a rat in London. Equality Harriet Harman. research highlights the sad realities Apparently, something similar applies of the so-called ‘off-street’ trade in to brothels, places where thousands the capital. We have done much to of women are regularly exploited end the evil trade in sex trafficking, by men who buy sex. This research Sex was available for only including strengthening the law and shows the disturbing prevalence of £15 in some places supporting police operations and the the sex industry in every corner of Crown Prosecution Service to catch London – fuelled by the demand for and prosecute traffickers as well as prostitution services. Multi-media Solely using adverts placed in local supporting victims. But to protect misrepresentations of commercial newspapers, researchers posing as women, we also need to tackle the sex as a glamorous, easy and fun potential sex buyers found high-risk demand side. Many papers are already career choice for girls and women services – such as unprotected anal following the Newspaper Society’s further contribute to the ubiquity of sex – available for as little as £10 guidelines and no longer accept this London’s brothel industry. extra in many of the 921 brothels kind of advertising, but we need more However, for most women involved surveyed. Seventy-seven different to follow suit, to stop carrying these in prostitution, the reality is a cycle ethnicities of women providing ads and help stop fuelling demand.’ of violence and coercion, perpetuated services were identified, many from Brothels were identified in each by poverty and inequality.’ known trafficking hotspots such as of London’s 33 boroughs, with 4 September 2008 Eastern Europe and South-East Asia. an average of 28 per borough, Penetrative sex was available ranging from 71 (Westminster) to a The above information is re- for only £15 in some places, and a 8 (Southwark). Given that only printed with kind permission from number of premises offered ‘very newspaper advertisements were used Eaves. Visit www.eaves4women.co.uk young girls’ although were reluctant as source information (as opposed for more information. to explicitly admit to having underage to websites or phone cards) it can © Eaves

Issues www.independence.co.uk 8 ???????????? Big Brothel study under fire from academics

Row over ‘flawed’ methodology in UK sex trade survey

group of academics specialis- questions that clients would typically ing in the sex trade have By James Verrinder ask of brothels. Aattacked the methodology The authors also said that a third used in a recent survey by The of calls had been answered by women Poppy Project, a Government-funded In a lengthy statementthe academics working directly in brothels and organisation offering support to sex added that the information gained disputed the academics’ claim that trade workers in London. from these calls was not reliable as information had been solely collected The study, entitled Big Brothel, many callers spoke to receptionists from receptionists. was published in September and rather than prostitutes. They said the The organisation said: ‘There is received widespread media coverage, authors made no effort to contact sex no evidence to back up the claim focusing on the conditions workers workers directly, either by themselves that women providing prostitution are forced to suffer and the price of or through any existing ‘established services would automatically lie sex in brothels. methods’. over the phone to callers seeking The group of 27 academics – led by With regard to the study’s claims information about available services Dr Teela Sanders at Leeds University about the high percentage of foreign and prices.’ and Dr Belinda Brook-Gordon at workers who had been trafficked On consent, The Poppy Project Birkbeck, University of London – into the UK, the academics said that said that it had not disregarded the claim that the study was ‘seriously information collected was anecdotal issue but decided that ‘information flawed’ and urged that no legal reforms and ‘cannot be considered as evidence provided after obtaining consent be made on the back of the findings. of an accurate or reliable nature, being would be severely limited and They said that the use of male obtained from those who answer negatively distorted’. volunteers calling numbers from cards phones in venues under misleading advertising prostitutes and posing as circumstances’. a The above information is reprinted clients ‘does not meet the standard of The Poppy Project was quick to with kind permission from Research- ethics governing any UK university or respond to the criticism, claiming live.com. Visit www.research-live.com reputed research institute practices’ that it had clearly presented the for more information on this and and showed ‘cavalier disregard of the methodology ‘and its limitations’ other topics. issue of consent’. and said that the callers had asked © Research-live.com I’m a sex worker – don’t take away my livelihood

The Big Brothel report paints women in my industry as victims. Some may be – but to generalise is patronising and offensive

‘Sex for £15’ and other such findings, sex on offer, as highlighted in Diane researchers posing as prospective including on the availability of Taylor’s brilliant article Really lifting clients. Given this, such findings as unprotected sex, have made the the lid? – all this report has served the average age of the women being headlines after the release of the to do is to paint a very bleak picture 21 have to be taken with a large pinch Big Brothel report, the culmination of the off-street sex scene which any of salt. It is not unheard of for women of the Poppy Project’s research into socially-conscious individual would in their 30s to be ‘advertised’ as being off-street prostitution. Due to the quite rightfully abhor. 21. At the very least, knocking five fact that such ‘findings’ have been There are many problems with years off a woman’s age is accepted reported out of context – for example, the report, not least the fact that as an industry standard; thus, adding only in 2% of cases was unprotected the research was conducted by male five years to the woman’s advertised

Issues www.independence.co.uk 9 ???????????

age will give a more accurate picture. So, what is my situation? I am a as simple as that. I wanted a job which Furthermore, the report found that single mother with two young children would allow me to work flexible hours 75 different ethnicities were ‘on aged 4 and 6. Prior to doing this job – to fit around the children’s schooling, offer’. I don’t doubt this is true, but and it is a job – I was employed as a PA fewer hours, but without taking the parlours have been known to try to in a large, city-based firm. My job was drop in wages which a part-time office pass off Thai women as Japanese, a typical 9-to-5 – which, as everyone job would have lead to. Escorting to give but one example. I would who has ever worked in such a job will seemed like the natural solution. I say suggest that, knowing the industry know, means 7:30am to 6:30pm by ‘natural’ because it felt natural to me. as I do, the actual number of women the time you take into consideration I am well aware that this is not a job of different ethnicities on offer is travelling and (unpaid) overtime. I was everybody could do. But as a sexually- somewhat smaller. dropping my children off at breakfast aware and sexually-experienced Somewhat predictably, the Big club at 8am and collecting them at woman in her mid-30s, the thought Brothel report also slams the likes 6pm, by which time we would all be of having sex with strangers did not of the ITV2 series Secret Diary of a completely knackered. The children terrify me. I remember thinking that Call Girl as depicting an unrealistic, go to bed at 7:30pm, meaning we I might even enjoy it (and that has glamorous off-street sex industry quite were left with precisely 90 minutes proved to be the case). removed from the reality. But can to prepare and eat our evening meal, a group of male researchers posing have baths, get ready for bed and read as clients, conducting telephone bedtime stories. It was like we were research and not even visiting the living in a whirlwind. I felt I never Promiscuity amongst brothels in question, really claim to saw my kids – let’s face it, I didn’t women is still deemed have uncovered the truth about ‘what (much) – there was certainly never to be something to be is going on’ in the industry? much time for playing or talking or I am an off-street sex worker. I don’t simply just sitting cuddling on the frowned upon live a Belle de Jour-type existence, but sofa. The guilt was getting to me. I nor am I the trafficked/drug-addled/ was unhappy. I hoped they weren’t, pimped victim the Big Brothel report but I was never sure. Yet, despite the I work from a flat on which I pay the would have you believe. The reality long hours I spent away from home, I mortgage – I do not have any landlord of my working life lies somewhere was earning just enough to make ends to worry about. I charge £150 per hour between the two. meet. Sure I could pay the mortgage, and I get enough enquiries to enable I feel obliged to state at this point but we’d never had a family holiday. me to choose my own working hours. that I have a good degree from a good By the time my monthly pay packet In a typical day I drop my children university, as so many people assume came around, I would have literally off at school at 9am, return home, we do this job because we are poor, just a few pounds in the bank. shower and get changed into my uneducated souls. I say ‘we’ because It was by no means a desperate alter-ego, Lara (we never use our own I am not alone – I know many, many existence – we always had enough names). I then might have an hour’s women who work the length and food, and the house was always appointment at 11am and another at breadth of the UK in the same way heated – but it was quite empty from 1pm, leaving me with a break of an as I do. I cannot speak for all these my point of view. My children are hour in between to shower and refresh women, of course, and I do not intend fantastic human beings and I wanted myself. I then fetch myself a late lunch to try to do so, but suffice it to say that to spend more time in their company and am at the school again to collect my situation is not an unusual one. without us suffering financially, it was my children at 3:30pm. It works. I never see more than two clients a day; most days I see only one; on other days none at all. Yet in just three hours’ work I can earn the same as I used to earn in a week working at the office. Such is the taboo of sex work, that it is difficult to tell anybody what I do for Illustration: Angelo Madrid a living. These taboos are created and Selling Sex exacerbated by reports in the media of p10 all prostitutes being drug addicts and 112 x 75mm ‘dirty’. Promiscuity amongst women is still deemed to be something to be frowned upon. In order to make excuses for our behaviour (because excuses have to be made, of course – no ‘normal’ woman would choose prostitution for a living) reports such as Big Brothel promote the victim

Issues www.independence.co.uk 10 ????????????

status of prostitutes, making such have not been physically or sexually trafficked women. Criminalisation sweeping generalisations such as ‘if abused by any of them. Of course would only serve to drive the industry the women do not have pimps as such, I have my security systems in place further underground, leaving the their money will likely go to fund should anything go wrong, but so far women who are victims of trafficking their coping strategies, such as drugs nothing has. My children have their even more vulnerable. and alcohol’. I find such a statement mother now, and not just on a part- Conversely, making criminals of both patronising and offensive. I do time basis. I have time with them to all men who pay for sex would result not have a pimp, and nor do I feel the enjoy their childhoods, without any in myself and thousands of other need for ‘coping strategies’. I am not of us suffering financially. I am not women who choose to work in this au fait with drugs and drink only on making big bucks – but I am earning industry becoming unemployed, and social occasions. Contrary to what Big a little more money to boot. thus instead of contributing to the Brothel would have you believe, my Big Brothel calls for the purchase of state (through our taxes) we would be money pays the mortgage and bills; sex acts to be criminalised, in order to taking from the state in the form of it pays my income tax and national stem what it calls the ‘rise in demand income support, housing benefit and insurance; it buys food and clothing for prostitution’ which, it asserts, so on. This is how we make a living; it’s for my family and, this summer, it ‘fuels trafficking’. The report does an industry that prevents many, many paid for the first holiday my children not seem to take into consideration women and their children from living have ever known. that the type of people who benefit on the breadline. If you are going My clients are on the whole from trafficking, be it for prostitution to take our livelihoods from us, the middle-aged businessmen. I have or otherwise, are likely to pay scant consequences will be devastating. never been treated with anything less regard to the law; as, indeed, are the 17 September 2008 than respect by any one of them. I men who wish to purchase sex from © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2009 Schoolgirls lured into prostitution, warns MP

Schoolgirls as young as 12 are being groomed for prostitution, warns an Labour MP he grooming of schoolgirls as young as 12 into prostitution He said young men were initially forcing them to have sex and selling by gangs of men is a growing targeting girls at school and acting as them to others. T their boyfriends before passing them He likened the psychological national problem, a senior MP warned today. on to older men who would become techniques employed at first to those Labour’s Barry Sheerman, chairman their pimps. used by US cult leaders. He added: of the Children, Schools and Families In a Westminster Hall debate, ‘These men who prey on children Select Committee, claimed skilful Mr Sheerman said: ‘Children as have great skill in identifying the methods were being used by criminals young as 12 are brought into a life of vulnerability of these children whatever to lure teenagers into the sex trade. prostitution. the background they come from.’ He warned the problem was ‘In every town and city there He added: ‘It is getting worse be- being made worse by the use of the are unscrupulous men who have a cause of the technology. Children are ‘sophisticated techniques’ and new very sophisticated methodology and more vulnerable through the internet technology. technique of grooming children. and through mobile phones.’ ‘It is a problem and it is getting Mr Sheerman said there was worse in a very real way.’ evidence that where multi-agency The MP said he knew of cases in his approaches were used between police Huddersfield constituency where girls and child services the problem could first met young men, perhaps driving be curtailed. ‘flash cars’ outside school who made He said: ‘I believe the grooming of a the initial contact. child, whether it is by the teacher in the They then took them out and classroom, on the internet or grooming Photo introduced them to drink and by a man in a flash car outside the drugs before embarking on a sexual school they are groomers. I don’t like relationship. them, I believe they are criminals and The girl would believe they were they should be treated as such.’ with their first boyfriend but before Junior Home Office minister Alan long, older men would then take over, Campbell said the Government took

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the issue of child prostitution and not go into detail for fear of harming ‘Often it is teenage girls who are exploitation ‘very seriously’. any future prosecutions. targeted for exploitation and then He said: ‘The safeguarding of The Government had issued trafficked between and indeed within children is an absolute priority and guidance around the protection of towns and cities and this is entirely the exploitation of children is entirely children and more would follow later unacceptable. The Government is unacceptable. this year. committed to tackling this problem.’ ‘Whatever community it occurs in He added: ‘It is important that we 20 January 2009 and whatever community it comes have sophisticated responses to this. from it is simply wrong.’ ‘We are very concerned...about a The above information is reprinted He said that in relation to Hud- the issue of trafficking because it is a with permission from 24-dash.com. dersfield, a ‘number of police form of trafficking within the borders Visit www.24dash.com for more. operations’ were ongoing and he could of the UK. © 24-dash.com International approaches to prostitution

An extract from the CARE document T a c k l i n g t h e d e m a n d for prostitution and sex trafficking

arious legislative approaches There has also been a perceived to managing prostitution increase in the number of children Vhave been employed abroad. Logo involved in prostitution since the This section examines the approaches legislation was introduced. Mama in New Zealand, The Netherlands, Tere, a woman who used to be in Australia, Germany, Finland and prostitution, told New Zealand Sweden and how the legislation has Newspaper Morning Report that impacted individuals involved in the a rise in drug use and an increase in the Prostitution Reform Act has sex industry. gang involvement in ‘minding’ the normalised behaviour and youth sex workers. Debbie Baker, Director gangs are now pimping their members. New Zealand of Streetreach, recently disclosed Streetreach have also made contact In 2003 New Zealand introduced to CARE that the women they are with a significant number of child- the Prostitution Reform Act which in contact with have experienced ren in prostitution. In 2007 the decriminalised prostitution. an increase in physical and sexual US Department of State made the In February 2004 the New Zea- violence, such as rape, since 2003. observation that child trafficking and land Prostitution Reform Act Sub- A report by the Manukau City prostitution is now a major problem Committee met to discuss the Council indicates that the number of in New Zealand. problems that had persisted since street workers in Manukau City may the change in legislation. The health have quadrupled since June 2003. The Netherlands and safety of the individuals in street Police in Auckland and Christchurch Prostitution was legalised in the prostitution was still at a low level and believe that the number of street Netherlands in 2000 in order to had not been improved by the Act’s workers has increased since the passing regulate the sex industry and bring implementation. Perceived threats of the PRA and that the number of the associated criminal activity to passers by, hazardous litter left in underage girls has increased. The under control17. However, over the public places and alleged undertaking New Zealand Collective of Prostitutes last decade the sex industry in The of sexual activities in public places has admitted that the numbers Netherlands has expanded by 25% and adjacent property were still an of individuals involved has not and now accounts for 5% of the unresolved issue. decreased in Wellington and has in economy18. In November 2003 a Bill Streetreach, an Auckland based fact increased in Christchurch15. to combat smuggling and trafficking project that helps individuals involved The Government hoped that in human beings was introduced in the sex industry, stated that before the introduction of the legislation into legislation and later amended decriminalization they would make would result in an increase of women in January 2005. contact with 30 clients a night, and choosing to work from their own Experts estimate that as many as are now coming into regular contact homes.16 Research collected one two thirds of the women working with 90 clients a night. Streetreach year on showed that this had not in prostitution are foreigners. The has also noticed that there has been happened. Amsterdam-based ChildRight org-

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anisation estimates that at least 5,000 of the children in prostitution are from other countries, with a large segment being Nigerian girls19. Dutch NGOs report that most of the foreign women working in prostitution have been trafficked Illustration: Bev Aisbett into the country since it is almost Selling Sex impossible for poor women to facilitate p13 their own migration, underwrite the 112 x 67mm costs of travel and travel documents, and set themselves up in ‘business’ without outside help. Femke Halsema, a member of the Dutch Parliament who advocated the measure recently said ‘’I have often doubted since we legalized the tripled to over 400 between 1995, purchasing sexual services a crime in brothels, whether we did the right when they were decriminalised, and circumstances involving procuring thing. For me, it was a question of 1999, with many of these having no or trade in human beings. Although emancipation and liberation for the licence to operate.23 this is an offence which should be women, but for now it is working the Violence is still a common ex- criminalised, legislation which is other way.’’ perience for those working in the limited only to trafficking victims In 2005 the Dutch police received trade. The brothel The Daily Planet poses some challenges. more than 600 reports of women who in Melbourne, which is listed on the There is no explicit mention in may have been forced in prostitution Australian stock exchange, has alarm Finnish legislation that the buyer and 400 women contacted anti- buttons in every room. According to must have had knowledge that trafficking organisations for as- one bouncer who works there, the use trafficking took place in order to be sistance20. Although laws against sex of these buttons – after the woman prosecuted. However, in practice the trafficking are in place, acceptance of has been hit or assaulted – is not police have to prove that the buyer had the sex industry through legalisation uncommon.24 knowledge that the individual was a has actually witnessed an increase in Trafficked women are sold to both victim of trafficking in order to secure forced prostitution, the grooming of legal and illegal brothels in Victoria. a conviction. This has presented young girls and abusive situations for Traffickers make it possible for the a challenge to the authorities in many vulnerable women. In 2005, women to work in legal brothels by implementing the law. Mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen, applying for refugee status on their stated ‘Almost five years after the behalf. It is estimated that $1 million Sweden lifting of the brothel ban, we have is earned from trafficked women In January 1999 the Swedish Gov- to acknowledge that the aims of the weekly25. ernment introduced a law that law have not been reached. Lately, made purchasing – or attempting to we’ve received more and more signals Germany purchase – sexual services a criminal that abuse still continues. The police Germany legalised prostitution in offence, punishable by a six month admit we are in the midst of modern 2003. The subsequent effects of the fine or imprisonment. slavery’21. legislation have been concerning. The key policy principle in Sweden Several German NGOs now estimate is that ‘prostitution is regarded as an Australia that as many as 75% of women in aspect of male violence against women The Australian state of Victoria brothels are from abroad.26 In 2005 and children’29 and that prostitution legalised brothel and escort prostitu- one German woman was told by her is a problem causing harm to society. tion in 1984. Since then several other local jobcentre that her employment This leads to an abolitionist model states have legalised or decriminalised benefits would be cut if she refused of ‘zero tolerance’, based on a brothel prostitution22. Among the to work in prostitution27. As a result gender equality policy emphasising main arguments given in favour of legalisation, the industry is forcing the relationships between men and of legalisation/ decriminalisation vulnerable people into prostitution. women. The aim is that ‘the law were that it would limit the growth and its enforcement have an overall of the sex industry, end organised Finland preventative effect that will make the crime involvement, reduce police It is estimated that a third of clients and the basis for the market corruption and reduce violence all individuals in prostitution in disappear.’30 experienced by the women and girls in Finland come from abroad and are The legislative change has lead to prostitution. None of these, however, controlled by pimps28. In June 2006 a much needed discussion regarding have materialised. Finland’s Parliament enacted into the root causes of prostitution and In Sydney the number of brothels law a Bill which made the act of trafficking in women resulting in

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a changing attitude towards the and annually compiles and analyses leave prostitution and acting as a acceptance of purchasing sexual information on the scale of traffick- deterrent to women who previously services31. During the 2006 World ing in Sweden and between other had the type of background which led Cup in Germany, a team of researchers countries. Ekberg quotes the 2003 to prostitution, including prostitution carried out a survey asking men of and 2004 reports that the Law on in brothels, lap dancing clubs and different nationalities about their Purchasing Sexual Services has through escort agencies36 37. opinions on buying sex. In contrast ‘had positive effects in limiting the This approach has reduced the to many of the men questioned, not trafficking of women into Sweden’ profitability of human trafficking a single Swede said that engaging and compares the numbers with those into Sweden. As previously stated, the in prostitution was acceptable. This from other Baltic countries (see table trafficking and pimping of people is a demonstrates the extent to which in Appendix B).34 The 2005 report highly lucrative business. When the the Swedish legislation, along with also makes a similar observation, market is reduced, there is less money accompanying measures, has reduced quoting the hundreds of Nigerians to be made and less reason to engage the demand for paid sex among on the streets of Oslo, saying ‘so far in the activity. Swedish men32. the legislation relating to purchase of June 2008 The Swedish government states sexual services seems to constitute an that there has been a ‘dramatic drop’ effective obstacle.’35 a The above information is an in the number of individuals in street One of the objectives of the extract from the document Tackling the prostitution and the number of legislation was that it would create demand for prostitution and sex trafficking, men buying services.33 The National an incentive for women involved in and is reprinted with kind permission Criminal Intelligence Service acts as prostitution to leave. NGOs believe from CARE. Visit www.care.org.uk the Swedish National Rapporteur the legislation has been a success to view the full text and references. on trafficking in human beings with more people seeking help to © CARE New prostitution laws ‘unenforceable’

Information from politics.co.uk

he government’s new prosti- Smith, would mean that men would measures will force these vulnerable tution proposals have been be breaking the law if they paid for women further underground. Tcriticised as unenforceable, by sex with a woman trafficked into Mr Huhne said: ‘The Finnish the UK’s head of anti-trafficking. the UK or is working for a pimp, system of criminalising the clients The new measures, announced regardless of whether the man was of exploited and trafficked women last month by home secretary Jacqui aware the woman was forced into is a bad model. It has had a poor prostitution. record of successful prosecutions, Commander Allan Gibson, head precisely because the women deny of the Met’s anti-trafficking unit, a problem and juries are reluctant said to the Commons home affairs to convict when the client says they committee: ‘Speaking personally, I were misled. think that is going to be very difficult ‘The government’s other proposals to enforce.’ run the risk of driving already Committee chairman Keith Vaz vulnerable women underground told minister for women Harriet and into the hands of pimps and Harman: ‘[Commander Gibson] pushers.’ Photo says it is very difficult to enforce a The new measures are based situation where a man is expected to on the laws currently operating in ask a prostitute whether or not she Finland which have been in place has been trafficked and even if he since 2006. gets a negative answer he is still to be 10 December 2008 prosecuted. ‘The police themselves... feel that the a The above information is re- new proposals are unenforceable.’ printed with kind permission from That sentiment has been echoed by politics.co.uk. Visit www.politics. Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrat home co.uk for more information. affairs spokesman, who said the new © Adfero

Issues www.independence.co.uk 14 ???????????? New laws will make sex workers more vulnerable

By Catherine Stephens of the International Union of Sex Workers

esterday the Home Office ‘Kissing available for £20 ‘depending Only inclusion within the law announced new proposals on what you look like.’ [my italics] to be of people in the sex industry will Yintended to ‘protect the an anecdotal indicator of trafficking produce real, effective, long-lasting thousands of vulnerable women (Big Brothel, p23)) receive 2% of their positive change. The government had coerced, exploited or trafficked into referral from clients, and a further a chance to create this, but has opted prostitution in our country, and to 6% from unspecified ‘members of to perpetuate social exclusion, whilst bring those who take advantage of the public’. Further Poppy research bewailing its consequences. them to justice’. It’s a great story, shows that 2% of clients would stop with drama, heroism, anguish and a paying for sex if it were criminalized big white horse for Jacqui Smith to – this is, by definition, the most law ride as she swoops in to rescue tearful abiding, conscientious type of client, hookers from foreign countries. least likely to harm and most likely to Unfortunately, it’s pretty much report anxieties. If 98% will not stop, fact-free and bears no relationship to it is clear that the industry will be the reality of the sex industry: it will pushed further underground. in actuality increase the vulnerability Photo of all women who sell sex, even privileged, educated, white, British Clients do not want to passport holding women like me. How come? pay for sex with women If you want to target trafficking, who are not willing the first thing you need to do is increase reporting. You can’t rely on police raids to find the real victims Yet will implicating yourself in a – who do exist – in the sex industry. crime – that you are guilty of even if About Catherine Stephens Pentameter 1, raiding 515 premises, you didn’t know you were committing After a string of jobs in the private found 88 victims of trafficking. it at the time, according to some sector, including estate agency, This spectacularly fails to match reports of how the Home Office television and administration for the Turkish hotline for reporting plan to structure new laws – increase an architectural practice, Catherine anxieties about trafficking (in any reporting? I don’t think so. spent ten years with an environmental field: hotel and catering, domestic British law already endangers sex campaigning organisation and a service, agriculture…). Three quarters workers by making it illegal for us to further five working with community of the tip offs came from sex workers’ work together; criminal gangs know development organisations. For the clients, and those calls resulted in this, and knowingly target sex workers past eight years she has worked in the the destruction of 10 trafficking for robbery and rape. Brothel keepers sex industry, and has been involved networks and freedom of 100 women who have reported fears they’ve been in sex worker organising for most of from coercion. And I bet that didn’t offered trafficked women – that that time. She is an activist with the cost the £5 million reported cost of have been proven true, with victims International Union of Sex Workers Pentameter 1. rescued and traffickers imprisoned and is a member of the GMB trades And speaking of agriculture, to – have themselves been prosecuted, union’s branch for people who work put trafficking for sexual exploitation imprisoned, and their assets seized as in the sex industry. She loves her in perspective, Pentameter’s 88 a result of coming to the attention of job. rescues over 7 months compares with the authorities. 20 November 2008 60 suspected trafficked labourers In nearly ten years in the sex found in one day, on one farm in industry I have never met someone a The above information is re- Lincolnshire. who believes they have the full printed with kind permission from Clients do not want to pay for sex protection of the law. Increasing the openDemocracy.net. Visit www. with women who are not willing. Even criminalization of our industry, and opendemocracy.net for more the Poppy Project, who campaigns for of our clients, will help no-one and information. their criminalisation (and considers harm many. © openDemocracy.net

Issues www.independence.co.uk 15 ??????????? Human trafficking and the sex industry

The problem today

ea Kna, from Cambodia, was The CARE campaign focuses on the number of people recruited and sold at the age of 6 by her parents three areas: demand, victim support exploited in this way. Lwho lived in poverty. The buyer, and education. a family friend, transported her across Victim support the border into Thailand where she Demand It is vital that adequate care and was re-sold to a brothel and forced Trafficking for the purpose of sexual protection is given to survivors into child prostitution. exploitation is currently a high profit, of trafficking. Survivors are often Anna, 15, arrived in Heathrow low risk venture for those who trade extremely traumatised and need airport thinking she would be in people. It has been reported that medical and psychological assistance spending her summer holiday baby- some drug trafficking gangs have as well as support for re-integration sitting in London to earn some extra switched to people trafficking as there into society. pocket money. The man who met her is more money to be made and less Although rescued from the took her to a coffee shop in the airport risk of being caught. The number of exploitative situation, trafficked where he sold her to a brothel owner British people buying sexual services individuals are often still very for £3000. Forced into prostitution, has more than doubled in a recent vulnerable to being found and re-sold Anna was told that if she tried to ten year period, fuelling demand by their traffickers. It is therefore vital escape, her family back home in for prostitution. There is a ready that they are looked after in a safe Russia would be harmed. made market for pimps, gangs and environment. Every year men, women and traffickers to exploit and make high children are bought and sold. levels of profit. Often traffickers will use threats, Although Kerb crawling in England Trafficking for the manipulation and debt bondage and Wales has been an offence since to ensure that their victims do not 1985, at present there is no deterrent purpose of sexual escape. CARE is focussing on the in the law to deal with demand in an exploitation is currently plight of women, children and men off-street context. Until the root cause a high profit, low risk trafficked into prostitution in the is addressed, a significant reduction UK and across the world. Many are in sex trafficking and other forms of venture for those who kept in appalling conditions and are prostitution will not be realised. trade in people forced to see dozens of clients a day. CARE is campaigning for the Research shows that those who are demand for sex trafficking and rescued often share similar symptoms prostitution to be sufficiently tackled, Due to the intimidation that with survivors of torture. therefore bringing a reduction in individuals face from their traffickers and pimps, victims can often be hesitant to share their stories with the police and immigration staff. Unfortunately this can lead to cases of trafficking victims ending up in UK detention centres and being exported back to source countries where they may face violence and re trafficking. NGOs across Europe are working hard to make help and assistance more easily accessible to victims of trafficking. CARE’s office in Brussels has been working with Stop the Traffik and Oasis Trust in promoting an EU Written Declaration calling for a single European helpline number for victims of trafficking as well as

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provision in the EU budget for this health and trauma consequences of cities all over the UK. There may be to be serviced by suitable NGOs. The trafficking, a minimum of 90 days is trafficked people being held on your budget has now been approved and preferable. street. the EU Commission has called for a CARE works in partnership with If you suspect a case of trafficking, tender to realise the feasibility study Beyond the Streets which exists to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 which will start this summer. unite, equip and empower groups 111 Council of Europe Convention working with people involved in CARE recognises that it is especially The UK has now signed and ratified prostitution to offer freedom and important to educate potential victims the Council of Europe Convention change. Beyond the Streets has over of the dangers of trafficking, especially on Action against Trafficking in 45 affiliated projects who work with in countries of origin. There is also a Human Beings. The Convention will around 4,000 people caught up in need to educate children in the UK come into force on 1st April 2009. prostitution throughout the UK. of the dangers of being groomed for CARE was among several NGOs who prostitution and trafficked internally campaigned for the UK Government Education by criminal gangs. to sign the Convention. In order to reduce trafficking in the There is also a need to educate The Convention gives provision for UK it is vital that people are aware buyers and potential buyers of the care and protection of survivors that it is happening and know how to sexual services of the reality of the of trafficking, including a reflection spot the signs. Police, BIA staff, social sex trade. period where an individual will workers, teachers and healthcare staff receive safe housing, medical care may come across victims of trafficking. a The above information is reprinted and assistance. The UK Government However, it is not just members of the with kind permission from CARE. has committed to providing a 45 above professions who may come into Visit www.care.org.uk for more day recovery period which is to be contact with trafficking situations. information. commended. However, due to the People are trafficked into towns and © CARE The myth of trafficking

Most migrant women, including those in the sex industry, have made a clear decision, says a new study, to leave home and take their chances abroad. They are not ‘passive victims’ in need of ‘saving’ or sending back by western campaigners between 600,000 and 800,000 rendan O’Neill reviews Sex at By Brendan O’Neill the Margins: Migration, Labour people are trafficked for forced BMarkets and the Rescue Industry labour or sex worldwide every year; By Laura María Agustín (Zed Books, of migrants. When newspaper hacks Unicef says a million children and 224pp, £16.99). or populist politicians talk about young people are trafficked each It is always refreshing to read a evil Johnny Foreigners coming here year. Upmarket newspapers – which book that turns an issue on its head. and stealing our jobs or eating our have embraced the seemingly PC Laura María Agustín’s trenchant swans, it does not take much effort to ‘trafficking discourse’ with the same and controversial critique of the sniff out their xenophobic leanings. fervour as the tabloid newspapers anti-trafficking crusade goes a step Agustín’s contention is that the new further: it lays out the matter – in ‘discourse’ on migrants (in which this case, ‘human trafficking’ – on the many of them, especially the women operating table, dissects it, unravels and children, are seen as ‘victims of its innards, and shows the reader, in trafficking’ in need of rescue) is also gory, sometimes eye-watering detail, built on ideological foundations. Like why everything we think about it is its demented cousin – tabloid hysteria Wrong with a capital W. It’s a jarring about foreign scroungers – the Photo read; I imagine that those who make trafficking scare is based on a deeply a living from campaigning against patronising view of migrants, rather the scourge of human trafficking will than any hard statistical evidence that throw it violently across the room, if human trafficking is rife. not into an incinerator. Yet it may Agustín begins by challenging the also be one of the most important idea that there is a ‘new slave trade’ books on migration published in in which hundreds of thousands recent years. of women and children are sold Most of us recognise the ideological like chattels across borders. The under pinnings of old-style baiting US state department claims that

Issues www.independence.co.uk 17 ???????????

screech about fence-leaping job- notion that no woman could seriously sentient, albeit ‘morally depraved’, stealers from Sangatte – tell us that want to work in the sex industry. adults. By contrast, as the author ‘thousands’ of women and children The Coalition Against Trafficking illustrates, the anti-trafficking lobby have been trafficked into Britain and in Women argues that ‘all children robs migrants of agency and their ‘traded for tawdry sex’, and that some and the majority of women in the sex individual differences, and views of them (the African ones) ‘live under trade’ should be considered ‘victims of them as a helpless, swaying mass of fear of voodoo’. trafficking’. As Agustín says, such an thousands who must be saved by the approach ‘infantilises’ migrant women, more savvy and intelligent women of ‘eliminating any notion that women the west and by western authorities. who sell sex can consent’. Ironically, Agustín reserves her most cutting The trafficking scare it objectifies them, treating them as comments for the flourishing ‘rescue is based on a deeply unthinking things that are moved industry’, arguing convincingly patronising view of around the world against their will. that it is driven by a colonial-style, The reality is very different, the maternalistic attitude to foreign migrants, rather than author says. Most migrant women, women. In its world, ‘victims become any hard statistical including those who end up in the sex passive receptacles and mute sufferers evidence that human industry, have made a clear decision who must be saved, and helpers trafficking is rife to leave home and take their chances become saviours – a colonialist overseas. They are not ‘passive victims’ operation’. Bitingly, she compares who must be ‘saved’ by anti-trafficking today’s anti-trafficking feminists with campaigners and returned to their the ‘bourgeois women’ of the 19th Agustín says the numbers are country of origin. Rather, frequently, century who considered it a moral ‘mostly fantasies’. She does not doubt they are headstrong and ambitious virtue to save poor prostitutes, who that there are instances of forced women who migrate in order to were ‘mistaken, misled, deviant’. Like migration, or that, in a world where escape ‘small-town prejudices, dead- them, anti-trafficking crusaders see freedom of movement is restricted end jobs, dangerous streets and women as weak, easily victimised, by stiff laws and stringent border suffocating families’. Shocking as it and in need of guidance from a caring controls, many aspiring migrants have might seem to the feminist social chaperone. little choice but to seek assistance workers, caring police people and In truth, poor women – and men from dodgy middlemen. Yet, having campaigning journalists who make up and children – migrate for many researched trafficking and sex workers’ what Agustín refers to as the ‘rescue different reasons and have many experiences for the past five years, industry’, she has discovered that different experiences, some good, both academically and through some poor migrant women ‘like the some bad, some tragic. Such migrants fieldwork in Latin America and Asia, idea of being found beautiful or exotic are wise and wily, says Agustín; they she concludes that the figures are abroad, exciting desire in others’. I have gumption, ambition and hope; based on ‘sweeping generalisations’ told you it was controversial. they are often cosmopolitan, too, and frequently on ‘wild speculation’. One of Agustín’s chief concerns working, mixing and having flings ‘Most of the writing and activism [on is that the anti-trafficking crusade is with migrants from the other side of trafficking] does not seem to be based restricting international freedom of the world whom they meet in some on empirical research, even when movement. What presents itself as a big city in Europe or the United produced by academics,’ she notes. campaign to protect migrants from States. And many of them have far Many of the authors rely on ‘media harm is actually making their efforts more liberal attitudes to freedom of reports’ and ‘statistics published with to flee home, to find work, to make movement than the westerners who little explanation of methodology or the most of their lives in often difficult campaign on their behalf. She quotes clarity about definitions’. and unforgiving circumstances, that a Kurdish migrant to the Netherlands Agustín points out that some much harder. She writes about the who thinks borders should be anti-trafficking activists depend on ‘rescue raids’ carried out by police and abolished: ‘I don’t come from the numbers produced by the CIA (not non-governmental organisations, in sun or moon. I’m from earth just like normally considered a reliable or which even women who vociferously everybody else and the earth belongs neutral font of information when it deny having been trafficked may be to all of us.’ Now that’s an argument comes to inter national issues), even arrested, imprisoned in detention I can get behind. though the CIA refuses to ‘divulge its centres and sent back home – for Brendan O’Neill is the editor of ‘spiked’ research methods’. The reason why the the benefit of their own mental (www.spiked-online.com). ‘new slavery’ statistics are so high is, in stability, of course. It used to be 27 March 2008 part, that the category of trafficking called repatriation; now, dolled up in is promiscuously defined, sometimes therapeutic lingo, it is called ‘rescue’. a The above information is reprinted disingenuously so. Some researchers For all its poisonous prejudices, with kind permission from the New automatically label migrant women the old racist view of migrants as Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman. who work as prostitutes ‘trafficked portents of crime and social instability com for more information. persons’, basing their rationale on the at least treated them as autonomous, © New Statesman

Issues www.independence.co.uk 18 ????????????

Chapter two: pornography Pornography

Information from Eaves

Introduction and background especially among teenagers. A Facts and figures a In 1874, 130,000 photos of study in the US exposed college a The UK porn industry is estimated pornography were discovered in undergraduates in three groups to to be worth about £1bn, compared a police raid in London1. One varying levels of pornography over with £20 billion worldwide. century later, Victorian censorship six weeks. At the end of the study a Almost 40% of the male pop- was relaxed and restrictions on their attitudes towards women and ulation used pornographic web- pornography were lifted. Hardcore sexual violence were measured. sites in 20059. British internet pornography was not yet legal in The group exposed to the most users search for ‘porn’ online more the UK, but softcore magazines pornography in that period – just than anyone else in the English- were sold under the counter in five hours of videos over six weeks speaking world. concealed packaging. – believed that ‘rapists deserved a Half of UK children (7mn) have a The cultural and sexual revolution milder punishments, that women’s encountered pornography on of the 1960s and 1970s, rather liberation was not a good idea the internet ‘while looking for than liberating all women from [and] they became more callous something else’10. A survey of male subjugation, facilitated an toward women’6, significantly 1,000 teenage girls in 2005 found explosion in commercial sexual more than the groups which had that 63% of schoolgirls want to be exploitation on an unprecedented watched less pornography. glamour models. scale. a In January 2008, a BBC survey a It has been known for decades found that three-quarters of that the pornography indus- therapists said excessive use try is responsible for driving of internet pornography was the development of viewing the most common cause of sex technology. The introduction addiction. of home videos in the 1970s Photo a In 2004, ‘lads mags’ Nuts and precipitated the demise of the Zoo launched, competing in a ‘dirty mac brigade’2 and advanced ratings war which included weekly the proliferation of pornography, nipple counts and increasingly from VHS to DVD, then onto the pornographic images of women internet and live streaming on in order to boost sales. mobile devices. a Pornography enjoys the biggest a Highly sexualised images of young UK law and policy profit margin of any medium, women and girls exist across all a Hardcore pornography was raking in at least $57bn worldwide media, including mainstream legalised in the UK in 2000, dec- annually3 (the UK slice accounts television and public advertising. ades after many other European for more than £1bn), attracting They are routinely presented as states. more than 68m daily search expressions of sexual liberation, a Legislation includes the Obscene engine requests and exposing an rather than exploitation. The Publications Acts 1959/1964; estimated 80% of 15-17-year-olds commodification of women Indecent Displays Control Act to hardcore images4. and girls, which is central to the 1981, Video Recordings Act a The effect of the prevalence of majority of pornographic material, 1984 and the Criminal Justice & pornography is not ‘harmless’ as its fuels demand for commercial sex Immigration Act 2008. millionaire producers might try to acts, which in turn increases sex a In 2006, the Sexually Explicit suggest, but rather ‘reinforces and trafficking7. Material (Regulation of Sale and normalizes sexual disorders’5 and a Recent years have seen a rise in the Display) Bill failed to gain a second thus plays a key role in fostering popularity of ‘torture porn’ films8 – reading; legally, lads’ mags are demand for sexually exploitative mainstream blockbusters offering available on any shelf, without encounters in the real world. extreme pornographic violence, protective packaging, despite a Pathological ‘pornography almost exclusively inflicted upon guidelines. distortion’ can occur rapidly, young women and girls. In December 2008, ‘Top Shelf

Issues www.independence.co.uk 19 ???????????

Report’ published findings that 100% Doesn’t porn prevent sex attacks? pornography-statistics.html of sixth form girls surveyed were There is a growing case file of assaults Published 24 October 2006 angry, upset or offended by images where the perpetrator watched large 5 Dr. Robert Weiss, Sexual Recovery of women in Nuts, Zoo and the Daily amounts of violent pornography Institute, Washington Times, 26 Sport, compared to only 11% of sixth before committing attacks13. The January 2000 form boys, although one-fifth of male rise of the internet has served to 6 Mary Anne Layden, PhD. ‘Test- respondents thought such pictures link up paedophiles across the globe imony for US Senate Committee encouraged them to view women as through online communities, offering on Commerce, Science & Trans- objects. validation through normalisation. portation’ (1999). In 2008, the Criminal Justice & 7 For discussion of the intersection Immigration Act introduced the term between prostitution and porn- ‘extreme pornography’ (Part 5, section ography, refer to ‘Prostitution 63-68) to cover sexual images which (a) 100% of sixth form girls Online’ by Donna M. Hughes, threaten human life (b) cause serious surveyed were angry, published in ‘Prostitution, injury to sexual body parts (c) involve Trafficking and Traumatic Stress’ human corpses or (d) involve animals upset or offended by (2003). – or appear to do so. images of women in 8 Also known as ‘gorno.’ Examples Policy dispute is centred on Nuts, Zoo and the Daily include Hostel 1& 2 (2005 & ensuring protection for those who 2007, dir. Eli Roth); Grindhouse suffer harm and exploitation through Sport, compared to only 1 & 2 (2007 & 2008, dir. Quentin pornography without infringing the 11% of sixth form boys Tarantino). civil liberties of those who enjoy or 9 Nielsen NetRatings for Ind- profit from it. ependent on Sunday, 2006. 10 Buckingham, D. & Gragg, S. Eaves’ view What you can do (2003). Young People, Media and a Pornography is routinely used as a Volunteer and/or donate to Personal Relationships. London: a control mechanism for women organisations which campaign Institute of Education. exploited in the sex industry. against exploitation through 11 E.g. Zillmann, D. (1989). Effects a In this digital age, children may pornography, such as the Lilith of Prolonged Consumption of receive their earliest sex ‘education’ Project (www.eaves4women.co.uk) Pornography in Pornography: from hardcore pornography, and OBJECT (www.object.org. Research Advances and Policy viewed online either accidentally uk/TakeAction). Considerations. New Jersey: or intentionally. The effects of such a Write to your local MP calling Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. early exposure are as yet unknown, for independent and socially Also, Layden, M.A. (1999). but seem unlikely to lead to happy, responsible monitoring of the UK 12 Homemade pornography has healthy sex lives for all. pornography industry, including leapt in popularity since the adult online exploitation. advent of low-price video cameras FAQs a Campaign and complain in your and 3G mobile devices. YouPorn, Isn’t watching porn just harmless local shops about the display of a video-sharing website, launched fun? lads mags and insist that such titles in August 2006 was the most Various studies on prolonged con- are relocated to the top shelf, if popular and largest pornographic sumption of pornography have not removed altogether14. website online by October 2007. found a range of sociopathic effects 13 For one example, the case of including violence, desensitisation, Notes Graham Coutts, who killed Jane sexual dysfunction, social exclusion, 1 ‘Dines, G. (1997). Pornography: Longhurst in 2003, following exploitative behaviour and paed- The Production and Consump- years of consuming necrophilic ophilia11. Convictions for child tion of Inequality. UK: Routledge. pornography, preceded by pornography offences quadrupled 2 A term used to describe men who thoughts of murdering women between 2002 and 2004 (Home frequented Soho’s adult cinemas, since the age of 15. Office, 2005). so called for their habit of wearing 14 For information and advice on Does ‘DIY porn’ count as grassroots long mackintosh coats in order porn-free shops: http://www. activism?12 to masturbate discreetly in movie hamdyspornfree.com/Menu. Some argue that DIY porn is positive theatres. html because it shows real people having 3 Of which $3 billion is generated December 2008 real sex, thereby undermining the through child pornography glossy machine of professional porn. alone. a The above information is reprinted However, there is no way to verify the 4 Internet Pornography Statistics, with kind permission from Eaves. ages or consent of people involved, Jerry Ropelato, Top Ten Reviews Visit www.eaves4women.co.uk for not to mention violations of privacy 2007. http://internet-filterreview. more information. or copyright issues. toptenreviews.com/internet- © Eaves

Issues www.independence.co.uk 20 ???????????? The law and pornography

Information from CARE

here is no legal definition of policies that state downloading pornography, which is very pornography or sending inappro- Tconfusing! Below is a simple Logo priate emails will lead to a disciplinary explanation of what the law means in warning or dismissal. most of the situations you will come across. The law applies to the Internet What should I do if I come in the same way as it would apply to The Criminal Justice and Immigation across material that I believe any other type of media. What is illegal Act 2008 has introduced a new to be illegal? off-line is illegal online. offence of being in possession of If you come across material that Here are some frequently asked ‘extreme pornographic material’. depicts child sexual abuse or material questions: Possession of child pornography that you think may fall foul of the (‘indecent’ photographs of children Obscene Publications Act, you under the age of 18) is a serious should report it through the Internet criminal offence under the Protection Watch Foundation (IWF) hotline. The Criminal Justice of Children Act 1978 and section 160 Go to their website, www.iwf.org. and Immigation Act of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. uk, where you can make a report 2008 has introduced a online. If you suspect inappropriate Am I criminally liable if I chat or behaviour with a child online, new offence of being in download pornography? you should report to it the Child possession of ‘extreme It depends on what sort of porn- Exploitation and Online Protection pornographic material’ ography you are downloading. Centre. You can make a report on If you knowingly downloaded their website, www.ceop.gov.uk. child pornography, you would be December 2008 committing a criminal offence. How old do I have to be to buy a The above information is re- a top shelf magazine? What happens if I download printed with kind permission from Strictly speaking legally acceptable pornography in my workplace? CARE. Visit www.care.org.uk for pornographic magazines displayed It depends on the policy of your more information. on the top shelf of a newsagent can employer. Many employers have © CARE be sold legally to anyone of any age. They are sold on the top shelf and to over 18s only by convention.

At what age can I rent or buy a DVD/video? DVDs/videos should legally only be supplied, lent or sold to those over the age limit displayed on the DVD/ video. There are no legal penalties for Illustration: Bev Aisbett showing DVDs/videos in the home Selling Sex to an inappropriate age group. p21 What sort of 112 x 100mm pornography is illegal? Pornographic material is considered legally ‘obscene’ if it is judged to have ‘a tendency to deprave and corrupt’ the intended audience. (Obscene Publications Acts 1959 & 1964, as amended). This normally applies only to the most violent and degrading adult pornography. It is currently an offence to ‘publish’ obscene material.

Issues www.independence.co.uk 21 ??????????? Ban on extreme images comes into force

Information from Out-Law

t has become illegal in most of the Gamble. ‘It also reflects the potential an extreme image but had not looked UK to own extreme pornographic damaging impact that the possession at it and therefore neither knew, nor Iimages. A new law came into of this material could have.’ had reason to suspect that it was an force making it a criminal offence to The law says that it is an offence extreme pornographic image; this will possess the images in England, Wales to be in possession of an extreme cover those who are in possession of and Northern Ireland. A similar law pornographic image. offending images but are unaware of is proposed in Scotland. ‘An image is ‘pornographic’ if the nature of the images for example, The only images that it has been it is of such a nature that it must where a person is sent an electronic illegal to possess until now have been reasonably be assumed to have been copy of an image which he saves images of child sexual abuse. It has produced solely or principally for without looking at it and which gave been an offence to publish obscene the purpose of sexual arousal,’ says rise to no suspicion that it might be images, but not to possess them. the law. extreme pornography’. The new law, which is part of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act of 2008, came into force on ‘An “extreme image” is 26th January. The Scottish law is being drafted and will go further, an image which is grossly criminalising the possession of images offensive, disgusting or of rape. otherwise of an obscene Though the law has now come into force outside of Scotland it is unlikely character’ Photo to be aggressively enforced. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has said that it will not ‘An ‘extreme image’ is an image pursue offenders, but will investigate which is grossly offensive, disgusting any instances that it comes across of or otherwise of an obscene character… images that break the new law. and if it portrays, in an explicit and ACPO told The Guardian news- realistic way, any of the following – paper that the police ‘will not (a) an act which threatens a person’s be actively targeting members of life, It said that there was also a defence the public but will be conducting (b) an act which results, or is likely for people who had been sent the investigations into the unlawful to result, in serious injury to a message but did not ask for it, and possession of this material where person’s anus, breasts or genitals, who deleted it quickly. This is a found’. (c) an act which involves sexual defence even if the person looked at A statement from ACPO’s lead interference with a human corpse, the image, it said. officer on extreme pornographic or Anyone found guilty under the images Jim Gamble said that the (d) a person performing an act of Act could be jailed for three years new law ‘will assist law enforcement intercourse or oral sex with an and be ordered to pay an unlimited officers when presented with future animal (whether dead or alive), fine. They may also be placed on the investigations where indecent and and a reasonable person looking at sex offenders’ register. illegal material is found’. the image would think that any such 29 January 2009 ‘Whilst the publication and person or animal was real.’ distribution of extreme pornography The Ministry of Justice has said a The above information first is already covered in UK legislation that there are defences to prosecution appeared on OUT-LAW.COM, part through the Obscene Publications under the law for those who do not of international law firm Pinsent Act 1959, the new criminal offence ask for or keep images that are banned Masons LLP, on 29 January 2009. It of possession of this material has under the Act. has been reproduced with permission. been created in order to prevent the Guidance produced by the Ministry Visit www.out-law.com for more further circulation of what is sexually said that there is a defence available for information. violent and extreme in nature,’ said ‘a person [who] was in possession of © Pinsent Masons LLP

Issues www.independence.co.uk 22 ???????????? Criminalising extreme porn

Feminists are split over government plans to ban so-called extreme porn with some groups arguing censorship is not a real solution to the wider social problem of violence against women. By Katy Taylor

bid to prevent people view- Laura Schwarz of Feminist Fight- She said increased censorship won’t ing images of rape and sexual back said: ‘To focus on porn as the help: ‘I obviously have no issue with Aviolence has split opinion primary cause of violence against the quest to reduce violence, I just among feminists with strong opposi- women is not only reductive and don’t think this will achieve it. To ban tion being voiced within some sections simplistic but politically dangerous. extreme porn is to ignore the issues of of the women’s movement. It prevents a more in depth analysis why people want to watch it in the first Justice Secretary Jack Straw wants of the causes of sexual violence and place- what it is that triggers violent to make owning, downloading or ignores other forms of violence – police behaviour in people’ viewing bestiality, necrophilia or violence, state violence or the violence Erotic photographer and ex-escort severe sexual violence illegal as of next of the capitalist system.’ Karen, who won Sex Worker of the January via an amendment to the Avedon Carol, of Feminists Against Year in 2004 for setting up an ethical Criminal Justice and Immigration Act. Censorship (FAC) goes further: ‘This escort agency, believes the move will legislation only has value in a police have absolutely no effect on increasing state because it does not do anything women’s safety, in the sex industry of A bid to prevent people to prevent violence against women. It otherwise, but is rather about increas- suppresses sexuality, which can only ing government control over our lives. viewing images of rape create more problems later.’ Straw rejects this. He has said and sexual violence has The planned law changes have the government’s intention is to split opinion come about following the murder of combat the circulation of extreme Jane Longhurst in 2003 by Graham pornographic images, not to limit Coutts – a man who was addicted to private sexual activity. Ministers point The move has won the support of violent porn sites. to the consultation paper which many women who believe it will help Longhurst’s mother, Liz, has argued indicated men who were predisposed reduce gender violence. Dr Sasha easy access to extreme online images to aggression or sexual violence were Rakoff, director of lobby group Object, had tipped her daughter’s killer over more susceptible to the influence of said: ‘We are not talking about fluffy the edge. extreme porn. Ann Summer’s handcuffs here, we are However, there is little evidence But FAC’s Avedon Carol claimed: talking about the depiction of rape, to show there has been an increase ‘It happens every time there is a mutilation and abuse so graphic that in violence against women with the real concern about violence against it is impossible to tell whether or not increase in availability of images women, the government think they it is real or simulated. depicting it, on the internet and can soothe it by eliminating pictures ‘The case against banning the elsewhere. This argument is repeated of violence against women. It’s not possession of such material is deeply by those who feel the amendments tackling the real issue.’ flawed and misleading.’ are a token effort that avoid the root Of course the vast majority of Many have argued against the problem of violence against women. women who experience violence and proposals though; on 22 October a Female porn director, Yoshki sexual abuse do so from someone handful of protesters demonstrated Greenberg, is a rarity. She is one they know. outside parliament calling for the of a small handful of women who Perhaps prioritising Rape Crisis government to ‘ban crime, not sex’. stand behind the camera on the centres, tackling domestic violence and This opposition is deeply disturb- film set, rather than lie in front of it. ensuring effective prosecution would ing, Rakoff argues, in a society where Perhaps more surprisingly she makes help far more than criminalising the one in three women experience male (consensual) ‘niche narrative’ films, small minority who enjoy extreme porn. violence, and where sexual violence has some of which may be affected by the But then it would also cost a lot become increasingly main streamed in new legislation that will ban pictures more money. the porn industry and wider society. of slavery or captivity. 28 October 2008 That abuse of women is unac- Despite the violent nature of some ceptable is not up for debate. of her films she was vehemently a The above information is reprinted As Rakoff said: ‘The feminist point against abuse of women, although she with kind permission from the New of view is a human rights point of view.’ shared Object’s opinion that ‘porn as Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman. How best to tackle it involves on-going punishment’ films are increasingly com for more information. argument, however. popular with the mainstream. © New Statesman

Issues www.independence.co.uk 23 ??????????? Jane Austen and the case for extreme porn

The debate on a proposed offence of possessing extreme images has drawn an argument from an unlikely source

ane Austen seems an unlikely with a special interest in the proposed standard-bearer for those who By Andrew Norfolk new offence. Jdefend the right to look at The argument went something images depicting women being browers with the slogan: ‘Sexy like this: I may not understand your tortured and raped. strangled, suffocated, hanged and sexuality, indeed I may find the The novelist was quoted during drowned babes. It takes your breath images you like to view grotesque and a conference at Durham University away.’ What sane person could defend repugnant, but is that sufficient reason this week, which debated proposed the rights of someone who gains to criminalise the act of viewing? All legislation that would make posses- arousal from the sight of women parties agreed that possessing internet sion of ‘extreme pornography’ a being humiliated, degraded and — footage of, for example, a genuine criminal offence carrying a three-year apparently — murdered? strangulation should be unlawful. prison sentence. Far more contentious were scenes The decision to introduce a new involving actors or consensual law followed a long campaign by a partners, where the explicit footage mother whose daughter was killed in Backlash claims that appears to show a violent asphyxiation 2003 by a man who was said to have ‘hundreds of thousands, but is actually the realistic playing out been a obsessive viewer of violent if not millions, of people of a fantasy. Under the proposals, it porn sites. would be illegal to possess such images. Supporters of the new sanction, engaged in nonabusive, Rightly so, according to Jill part of the Criminal Justice Bill consenting activities’ Radford, of the University of Teesside, that is due to be brought before the would be criminalised by who views all pornography as ‘the Commons in the next few months, eroticisation of hate’ and a symbol of see it as a logical extension of laws a ban on extreme porn ‘male domination and exploitation of against child pornography. women and children’. The proposed offence covers explicit Porn was ‘a significant and pervasive images of bestiality, necrophilia and Step forward Austen, or rather factor in shaping our understanding serious violence, defined as ‘acts that the eponymous heroine of Emma as of sexuality’, she said, and when it appear to be life-threatening or are she remarks to her father: ‘One half came to images of extreme violence likely to result in serious, disabling of the world cannot understand the the issue of consent was irrelevant injury’. Such material must have pleasures of the other.’ Those words because the message — that it was been created solely or primarily for went to the heart of the debate during legitimate to use violence against the purpose of sexual arousal, and the conference at Durham, ‘Positions women — remained the same. Gavin must show real scenes ‘or depictions on the Politics of Porn’, which drew Phillipson, of Durham University, which appear to be real acts’. together a range of groups — from law also backed the legislation. The actors It is already illegal to publish or professors to bondage aficionados — may be consenting participants, but distribute such images in Britain. The Home Office argues that making their possession illegal will give added protection to the young and vulnerable. Opposition among politicians to the new law is likely to be muted. Brave or foolish would be the MP prepared to defend publicly the material shown on a website such as Necrobabes. The site promises users ‘tastefully erotic death scenes through asphyxia, shooting, knives and more’. A sister website, Asphyxia, lures

Issues www.independence.co.uk 24 ????????????

if the scenes simulate nonconsensual activities’ would be criminalised by a going to sit here and be an apologist acts, and are produced solely for the ban on extreme porn. for a psychopath’s right to w***,’ she purpose of arousing the viewer, the The suggestion that there may be said. ‘This is about real women. You images are not a legitimate use of a causal link between pornography people need to get real.’ freedom of expression. and sexual violence is not supported She went on to claim that hundreds Professor Phillipson said that the by any authoritative research, as the of African women had been trafficked ‘very narrow and specific categories’ Government has admitted. into Europe, then sold, mutilated and of the law would protect members of For Avedon Carol, of Feminists murdered, their deaths being filmed the BDSM (bondage, domination and Against Censorship, this means that and photographed to cater for the sado-masochism) community who ‘we’re going to ruin people’s lives market in extreme pornography. held true to the ‘sacred principles’ without a shred of evidence that it ‘Anyone turned on by the glor- of safety and consent. [viewing extreme porn] harms anyone. ification of extreme violence is sick. Deborah Hyde was not convinced. We are trying to punish people who It sends a message to abohorrent A spokesperson for Backlash, a group might have fantasies that we don’t individuals that it is acceptable. What formed to fight the legislation, she like. It’s a thought crime and that’s [the Government] are doing is censor- described the proposal as ‘a law all it is.’ ing evil. I will not get lost in a debate based on prejudice rather than fact’. So as long as no one is physically about human rights on this. There Backlash claims that ‘hundreds of harmed, pornography is acceptable? are some things that are just wrong.’ thousands, if not millions, of people Not so, according to Clare Phillipson, 17 March 2007 engaged in nonabusive, consenting of Wearside Women in Need. ‘I’m not © The Times Change society and porn will change too

Fiona Osler says she’s no prude but don’t discount the effect porn has on individuals and society

t’s not fashionable these days to all men are rapists to acknowledge non-degrading images or porn that take an anti-porn stance. The that much pornography reinforces isn’t just about what humiliating Iaccusation that you’re aligning the male domination already found things a man can do to a woman. But yourself with the fundamentalist elsewhere in society. how much of this type of porn exists Christian right is never far away. I’m not advocating a ban on porn compared to porn that shows only However, it is possible to argue that but to say porn needs to be honestly contempt, sexualises inequality and there is quite a lot wrong with porn re-evaluated without the moralising eroticises male supremacy? and not be a moralist, a man-hater or hysteria that so often accompanies or a prude. You don’t have to believe this discussion. I have no issues with It’s not fashionable these days to take an anti-porn stance

Supporting the porn industry Illustration: Angelo Madrid Porn is most often unrelentingly Selling Sex misogynistic; it doesn’t celebrate p25 women’s sexuality or speak of 112 x 78mm empowerment, as some on the left would argue. The fact is, porn is invariably made by men for men and for the main part says women exist to cater to male sexual needs and desires. Even if porn holds no consequences for relationships between men and women, why is the left supporting a

Issues www.independence.co.uk 25 ???????????

business that controls our sexuality? as a contributory factor to their How much easier if women are always That also promotes racism as much problems – are they making it up or ‘hot to trot,’ in a world where male as sexism? Yet seeing this in a can we accept it has an effect? I’m authority goes unchallenged, where pornographic film is met with silence not saying all men and women are there is no need for intimacy and or the standard anti-censorship personally affected by porn but it is trust. Intimacy demands sharing and arguments that people have a right also disingenuous to claim that if a is built on varying levels of trust. Love, to look at what they want. society accepts any genre that portrays sensuality, tenderness, caring and women in solely sexual terms it will empathy are emotions entirely absent not influence to a greater or lesser from the porn genre. Cruelty, anger degree how some men treat us and and hatred aplenty. It is possible to argue how some women respond to them. Why do men want to look at this? These days, young men are learning I confess I don’t understand it. I’m that there is quite a lot from pornography that women not arguing all men looking at this wrong with porn and not enjoy forced sex, humiliation and kind of porn hate women but there be a moralist, a man- cruelty. This is not the soft porn of is obviously a market for it or it Playboy or Penthouse and often it’s wouldn’t be produced. Is it a reaction hater or a prude before they have any involvement to new sexual parity? It hurts me to with young women. At a time when think that some men see women developing empathy and intimacy as the enemy, that they hold such skills are crucial to mature sexual contempt and hatred, and gain sexual The relaxation of the British Board and emotional interactions they are gratification from seeing women used of Film Classification guidelines in viewing porn which is all about self- in this way. 2000 means hardcore pornography gratification, often at the expense of There are no easy answers as to is available as never before. A a woman’s pain and suffering. That what can be done. I have always 2006 study, commissioned by the women are always ‘up for it’ in turn been anti-censorship but perhaps Independent on Sunday, found one puts enormous pressure on young we need legislation that outlaws in four men aged 25 to 49 (around 2.5 women to conform to the plasticised any pornography that incites sexual million) had viewed online hardcore images and obligated to ‘perform’ hatred similar to laws that outlaw porn in the month the study was no matter how objectionable they race hatred? But more than this, we conducted. And as the porn industry find the act. need to try harder to ensure men and exhausts every conceivable sexual women treat each other with respect scenario, there is only one place left Response to the and equality, this has to come first to go – porn focusing on cruelty and new sexual parity? before porn will change. extreme degradation of women. It’s Some psychologists have posited that January 2008 no longer about sex but hate. men who seek more extreme images It’s dishonest and misleading to feel threatened by the ‘emotional a The above information is re- claim pornography has no effect power’ they believe women hold over printed with kind permission from on relationships. Relate report that them. This means they are reliant Red Pepper. Visit www.redpepper. 40 per cent of couples that come on women finding them sexually org.uk for more information. to them cite internet pornography attractive and emotionally acceptable. © Red Pepper

Stat: 2006 worldwide porn revenues (Top 10 Reviews) 171 x 81mm

From source: I was able to look at this today. I saw only the one reference to our statistics. If there are more, let me know. There are two things I think should be adjusted. The statistics were actually released in March 2007, unless that particular statistics had a date on it. And our logotype is TopTenREVIEWS.

You can publish it with those changes.

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Chapter three: sexualising society Sex object culture

Frequently asked questions from OBJECT

‘Research suggests that the sexual- ‘Sex object culture’ also harms isation of girls may not only reflect boys who are pressurised to act out sexist attitudes, a societal tolerance of a version of ‘being a man’ in which sexual violence, and the exploitation Logo power over women is normal. The of girls and women but may also effect is demonstrated by the fact contribute to these phenomena’. that only 8% of rapes are stranger Report of the American Psychological As- rapes. The vast majority of rape is sociation Task Force on the Sexualisation carried out by women’s current or of Girls, 2007 us otherwise. When campaigners former partners. This means that it criticise McDonalds for its unhealthy is ‘ordinary’ boys and men who are What do we mean by food, environmentally destructive committing sexually violent crimes. sex object culture? business practices and targeting The media’s portrayal of women as You only have to go to your local of children through manipulative sex objects also harms girls’ mental corner shop or supermarket, turn on marketing, does anybody accuse them and physical health leading to a lack MTV, jump on a bus to get to school or of being anti-food? of confidence with their bodies as work, and you will be bombarded with well as eating disorders (American images of women in highly sexualised But, isn’t it all just a bit of Psychological Association, 2007). poses and with vacant expressions harmless fun? Women and girls are comparing being used to sell products, music The sexualisation of women in the themselves with celebrities who and films. media and mainstreaming of the have had plastic surgery and whose Girls are targeted at younger and sex industry is filling the gap of sex photographs have been airbrushed. It younger ages as consumers of sex education and shaping how sexual is no wonder that in the UK at least 1 object culture. WH Smith sell pink identities are formed. Alarmingly, million people have eating disorders Playboy pencil cases – yet Playboy is a 66% of young people say that they find (approx. 90% of whom are women) global pornography brand; Amazon out about sex, love and relationships and that upwards of £1 billion pounds sell pole dancing kits with paper through the media (Institute of is spent on plastic surgery annually money as toys; Tesco even sell ‘Porn Education, 2003).This is harmful. (approx. 90% of which is spent by Star’ T shirts for 3-6 month year As pornography saturates mainstream women). old girls. Celebrities endorse the culture and the line between what pornography industry and glamour used to be considered hard core models are held out as role models for and what is sold in newsagents and young girls. The message is loud and supermarket becomes increasingly The message is loud and clear: to be validated as a female, you blurred, the rape narrative which clear: to be validated as have to be ‘hot’. This is increasingly originated from porn has become a female, you have to be the case as pornography and the sex increasingly acceptable. industries (such as prostitution or lap In fact, Maxim (2006) even tells ‘hot’ dancing) become part of our main- teenage readers that ‘a lot of women stream culture and everyday lives. fantasise about things like being raped’ and that ‘it’s a myth that women like When women are overwhelmingly Doesn’t OBJECT just have a soft stuff’. This message is reflected valued on the basis of their looks problem with sex? by statistics showing that almost half this has an impact on all spheres of It’s not sex we have a problem with of all adult women in England and life. Is it any wonder that Parliament – it is the sexualisation of women Wales have experienced domestic is 80% male, and that the gender and girls in a way which has little violence, sexual assault or stalking pay gap means that in effect women parallel for men or boys. And it’s not (British Crime Survey 2004) and a are only paid until October of sex that’s everywhere – it is images high proportion of people still think each year compared to men? The that originate from pornography. that women are at least partially to one-dimensional representation of Sex and pornography are very blame for rape, with rape conviction women also reinforces racism – by different, although the mission of rates at an all time low (Amnesty promoting stereotyped ideals of white, lads mags and the like is to persuade International, 2005). hypersexualised women. This ideal

Issues www.independence.co.uk 27 ???????????

fails to represent the true diversity of relation to sexism and for people to Isn’t it time for such laws to be women in the UK. understand the reality and effects of brought in to protect the rights of normalising words and images which women? But what if it’s a woman’s reinforce and normalise inequalities choice to be a glamour model between women and men. Quite a The above information is re- or lap dancer? rightly this has been recognised in printed with kind permission from Mainstream media outlets glamorise the arena of racial equality, where OBJECT. Visit www.object.org.uk the ‘porn star’ life. For example even legislation criminalises the incitement for more information. though extensive research shows of racial hatred. © OBJECT that prostitution is all too frequently abusive and exploitative, the media story is still one of the ‘Belle du Jour’ MPs want age ratings fantasy of a successful and glamorous ‘call girl’. Instead of showing the realities of lap dancing, page 3 or for lads’ mags prostitution, the media focuses on discussions on women’s choice to Politicians want to give so-called ‘lads’ mags’ and newspapers participate in the sex industry. such as the Daily Sport cinema-style age ratings Actually, the issue of choice is complex. We have to look at all he Top Shelf report, out this week, recommends magazines such as the factors which influence our Zoo and Maxim carry ‘16’ or ‘18’ certificates. choices, including the way that T The report, which has cross-party support from MPs, found the media and popular culture newsagents were flouting guidelines which say the magazines should be glamorises the sex industry. Even if displayed on the top shelf. we could establish that it truly was The display of the magazines is governed by a voluntary code of practice a genuine and empowering choice drawn up by the Periodical Publishers Associations (PPA) and the Home of a woman to go into one of these Office, which recommends that retailers display them well above children’s industries, the harmful impact that eye level and away from children’s titles or comics. their normalisation has on society ‘The industry has manifestly failed to control the display of sexually- makes the issue much bigger than explicit material,’ said Labour MP Claire Curtis-Thomas. one of individual choice. ‘We need to have age-related information put on the front of all lads’ magazines.’ What about freedom The MP for Crosby, who has spent a year and a half researching the of speech? industry, said: ‘It is clear that young men below the age of 16 have access We are talking about multi-billion to these magazines. pound media and sex industries ‘I do not want to censor this material, but we must do something about backed up by big business. It is the display of these titles. clear that it is the sex industry and ‘The discretionary industry guidelines have failed. Children are still able all those making profit out of sex to access material that is of a sexually explicit and violent nature. object culture that have the loudest ‘We want to introduce statutory guidelines that are comparable to the voice. It is the women and men who existing standards for video, film and television.’ want to challenge this culture that But the PPA says a voluntary-code is ‘far more effective and flexible than are silenced. We are not calling for any statutory regulation’. censorship. OBJECT is calling for The report surveyed sixth form students and found that all the girls who improved regulation of the media in looked at the Daily Sport, Zoo and Nuts reported being angry, offended or upset by the images they contained. Only 11% of male students said they felt the same, but one-fifth admitted the material encouraged them to see women as sex objects. Ben Todd, editor of Zoo, said: ‘We should be treated like a cheeky seaside postcard. ‘In our case, the most revealing aspect is topless pictures, which is no Logo more than you see in the Sun or the Daily Star. ‘So, if any sort of age restrictions are going to be introduced, I’d expect them to include those papers too.’ 8 December 2008

a The above information is reprinted with kind permission from Sky News. Visit http://news.sky.com for more information. © Sky News

Issues www.independence.co.uk 28 ???????????? Lads’ mags

Frequently asked questions from OBJECT

What exactly are you campaigning for? We are campaigning for lads’ mags and newspapers like the Sport to be recognised and regulated as part of the porn industry and not displayed at eye level next to magazines, comics and broadsheet newspapers as if they were a normal part of the mainstream media.

It is clear that these publications are part of the sex and porn industries and they should be recognised and example, in 2006 Zoo published an ‘most women fantasize about being A – Z of pornography which included raped’ and that ‘it’s a myth that regulated as such wrapping your girlfriend in cling film women like soft sex’? and defecating on her. It also included But this isn’t only a question lots of references to women as the of protecting children from these We think that if lads’ mags and ‘B’ word with advice on how to deal harmful messages. Lads’ mags pro- newspapers like the Sport are sold with your ‘B’ if she doesn’t comply. mote a warped view of how women at all that they should be covered It is clear that these publications are are supposed to look and behave up, put on the top shelf and that part of the sex and porn industries sexually which is damaging for us age restrictions should be applied. and they should be recognised and all, as they influence the way that This would send out the message regulated as such to take into account men view women and the way that as a society we do not think the harmful effect that they have on that women view themselves. Take that it is acceptable for women to be how women are viewed. 2005 – the height of the lads’ mag objectified, demeaned and degraded boom – when Zoo ran a competition and that we do not condone it as part Aren’t lad’s mags just a where male readers could win breast of our mainstream media. bit of harmless fun? implants for their girlfriends and Lads’ mags provide sexual stimulation Nuts started the infamous ‘Assess Why do you say that by portraying women as sexual objects my Breasts’ competition with reader’s lads’ mags are part of the who are always sexually available and girlfriends being encouraged to send porn industry? whose purpose is to fulfil the sexual in photographs of their breasts to be Links to hardcore pornography fantasies of men. They are directly graded by male readers. In this year and prostitution are made explicit linked to hardcore pornography and the number of women who had breast in the pages of ads at the back of prostitution through their advertising implants doubled (British Association every lads’ mag and essentially the and they constantly trivialise or make of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons 2006). entire content of The Sport (which fun of issues like rape, trafficking and When we live in a society in which comprises thousands of ads for hard prostituting women. 92% of girls under 22 say that ‘they core porn, sex chat, masseurs and This is especially alarming when hate their bodies’ (Bliss 2005), 63% escorts). But even without these we consider that 66% of children of girls say that they would rather direct links, the purpose of lads’ and young people say that they find be glamour models than teachers or mags and papers like the Sport is to out about sex, love and relationships doctors (Manchester Online 2005), sexually stimulate male readers by through the media (Institute of the UK spends more on cosmetic turning women into sexual objects Education 2003). Do we want surgery than any other EU country – of who are always sexually available young people who are shaping their which approximately 90% is spent by and who represent the ‘porn dream’. sexual identities to be learning about women (Mintel 2008), 1 in 4 women Lads’ mags also publish articles sexuality from magazines like Maxim are raped in their lifetime with 92% specifically about pornography. For (2006) who advised male readers that of rapes committed by ‘ordinary’ boys

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and men who are known to the woman Is that the kind of society that we and recognising the harmful effects of (Kelly, Lovett and Regan 2005), and want? mainstreaming pornography and the the positions of power in society are Surely we need to question why sexual objectification of women. still overwhelmingly dominated by girls are aspiring to be glamour models The issue of challenging the men, can we really say with confidence rather than politicians, teachers, objectification of women is an issue that portraying women as sexual doctors or any other position of real of equality which is a progressive ideal. objects is just harmless fun and has influence. Here we have to look at It is the sexist attitudes that lads mags no effect whatsoever on the attitudes the way that publications such as lads’ promote that belong in the past. behind these statistics? mags glamorise the porn industry. Why is the objectification of What about freedom of women an issue? speech/censorship? Objectification dehumanises women. 63% of girls say that This is an equality issue not an issue The first part of any oppression is they would rather be of freedom of speech. In the same to dehumanise the group which is glamour models than way that boycotting / not giving a oppressed. The more it becomes teachers or doctors platform to racist views is making a acceptable to view women as a sum political decision to challenge deeply of body parts, over which men have entrenched racism, boycotting and entitlement, the easier it becomes not giving a platform to sexist views is a to disrespect, to mistreat and to act But women choose to do it? way of challenging deeply entrenched out violence and sexual harassment Indeed 63% of girls say that they sexism. Opposing the sexist portrayal towards women as a group. would rather be glamour models than of women in the media is taking a We are not saying that all men teachers or doctors. We find these political stance against sexism, it is who read degrading materials about findings alarming as it says a great not censorship. women will have sexist views,let alone deal about the kinds of aspirations be abusive or violent, but when we that are being held out for women Does opposing lad’s mags live in a society in which gender in our society. mean you are anti-sex? inequality is massive and violence Challenging the pornification of against women is endemic – with But glamour models make society and sex object culture does 1 in 4 women raped in her lifetime a lot of money? not make you anti–sex, it just means and 2 women dying each week from Out of the thousands of women who that you are pointing out the danger domestic violence (Rape Crisis) – aspire to be glamour models, very, very of continuing to represent women as any industry which promotes the few actually ‘make it’. sex objects who are always sexually objectification of women inevitably Even if it were the case that every available in a culture in which sexual has an impact on the sexist attitudes women who aspired to be a glamour violence is so endemic. It makes you which underpin abuse and cannot be model ‘got rich’, what would that are anti-sexism, not anti-sex. said to be harmless. say about our society if the majority of women (the 63% who aspire Wouldn’t these regulations a The above information is re- to this profession) stripped off to take us back to the Dark Ages? printed with kind permission from look sexy as their profession whilst These measures are about recognising OBJECT. Visit www.object.org.uk all the positions of power were still and regulating publications like lad’s for more information. overwhelmingly dominated by men? mags and The Sport for what they are © OBJECT

Issues www.independence.co.uk 30 ???????????? Why lads’ mags have a shelf life

Michael Deacon argues that lads’ mags are harmless fun, not misogyny, drawing on two years of experience at Zoo magazine

rom its launch in January tainment editor. Not the most Today Zoo is edited by Ben Todd 2004 until November 2006, appropriate title, perhaps, because (who arrived after I left). Todd defends FI worked for Zoo, the weekly my job was to write and edit reviews his magazine and its rivals by saying lads’ magazine. Please don’t be of television programmes and films they’re no more obscene than ‘a alarmed. I have no plans to bring its and CDs, and I am well aware that cheeky seaside postcard’. At first this twin selling-points of topless glamour these do not constitute the primary may sound disingenuous. But actually models and gurgling puerility to source of entertainment for which I think he has a point. Because, like the pages of The Daily Telegraph. I young men buy the magazine. a ‘cheeky seaside postcard’, lads’ bring up this charming period from But, even though its pages were magazines are not erotic. They’re my past only because Claire Curtis- bursting with topless photographs, stuffed with sex yet not at all sexy. They Thomas, Labour MP for Crosby, has I wasn’t embarrassed by Zoo. Well, are, instead, a chortling compendium announced that she wants to prevent all right, I sometimes was. But not of banalities. They are unrelentingly teenage boys from buying Zoo and its because I thought the magazine was silly. Indeed, their silliness is almost cheerfully crude kind. obscene, but because, at times, our a kind of innocence. efforts to produce it were so comical. Look at last week’s issue of Nuts. The flaw of the lads’ magazine, as (It’s all right, you don’t actually have a genre, is that it is almost always to look – I’ve done it for you.) The Hardcore pornography produced by men who are nothing like cover promises a naked shoot with is dingy, aggressive, and, its target readers. In fact, it’s produced a model from Cheshire. ‘Ey-up,’ above all, serious. Lads’ by men who were probably beaten squeaks the headline, ‘they’re my up at school by its target readers’ naughtiest ever pics!’ magazines are not fathers. Producing a lads’ magazine Inside, photographs of topless is a perpetual fluster of second- women are routinely adorned with guessing. In a senior editorial meeting, off-puttingly twee quotations from Curtis-Thomas has compiled a university-educated, middle-class accompanying interviews. These report demanding that ‘lads’ mags’ men in their thirties try to squeeze include ‘I like to wear cute French carry cinema-style age ratings. By themselves into the mindset of a knickers!’ and, almost touchingly, ‘A ‘lads’ mags’ she means not the sort 19-year-old squaddie from Nuneaton. girl not wanting to talk to you isn’t of pornographic publication available Picture the publishing world the other the end of the world!’ only from a newsagent’s top shelf way round. Picture Wayne Rooney Hardcore pornography is dingy, and usually sheathed in a polythene editing Tatler. aggressive, and, above all, serious. bag. She’s talking about what are, in theory at any rate, mainstream ‘lifestyle’ magazines by mainstream publishers: Zoo, Nuts, FHM and others that grew out of the men’s magazine phenomenon of the mid- to-late Nineties. All of them are freely available in Lads’ mags market share (credit to ABC) newsagents, at a height a pubescent 112 x 73mm boy could reach. And all contain a lot of photographs of topless women. None the less, I don’t think that these magazines deserve our ire. Rude they may be. Pitiable, in many respects. But dangerous, threatening, malign? No. Allow me to explain. At Zoo, I was the deputy enter-

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Lads’ magazines are not. They’re naff. want to apologise for enjoying laddish behind those of Nuts. At the end of They’re juvenile. They’re downright pursuits – which included publishing 2005, a new editor arrived. He was giggly with nerves. Look, boys: it’s an pictures of attractive actresses in their going to increase sales by decreasing actual lady! She’s taken her clothes off! underwear. the nudity. Out went the nipples – and And she doesn’t mind if we look! In time, however, Loaded’s rival down went the sales. Not much later, That attitude may be pitiful but I FHM made an intriguing discovery: the nipples came back. don’t think it’s cruel or misogynistic, if you put a picture of a naked young Even so, sales across the board and I don’t think we need age woman on the cover, your magazine are still sliding. This isn’t because classifications to prevent teenage boys sold more copies. A lot more copies. young men have lost interest in from being exposed to it. One month in 1999, FHM’s cover star pictures of naked women. On the Misogyny is hatred of women. was the children’s television presenter contrary – it’s because they now have Nuts, Zoo, FHM and the rest do Gail Porter. She was shot naked, from easy access to even more of them. not encourage their readers to hate the rear. The issue sold more than a The internet offers far more sexually women. They encourage them to million copies. No editor was going explicit images, and offers them faster. be hopelessly in thrall to the sight to go back to Suggs after that. Monthly and weekly magazines can’t of women’s breasts. No, that’s not a Nor would they today. Because compete. healthy attitude either, but it could the sales of lads’ magazines are in You may think that to impose age be a lot worse. decline – rapid decline. The latest limits on lads’ magazines is a laudable Difficult though it may be to figures, published in August, showed idea. Perhaps it is, but it’s also futile. believe today, lads’ magazines were that every lads’ magazine had lost at You can stop a teenage boy buying a not always crammed with nudity. least 10 per cent of its readers in the magazine in a newsagent but there’s The first of their kind, Loaded, began past year. Maxim, remarkably, had lost not much you can do to stop him publishing in 1994. Its early cover stars 59.6 per cent. Nowadays, the pictures looking at far more graphic images were often men, the sort of men its of topless girls aren’t there to increase on the internet. editors imagined its readers looked a magazine’s circulation – they’re If sales of lads’ magazines continue up to: raffish, roguish types, such as there to ensure that the magazine has their decline, then in a few years they Paul Gascoigne, the Oasis guitarist a circulation at all. may not be available to anyone, let Noel Gallagher and the Madness Critics may like to think that the alone teenage boys. But teenage boys singer Suggs. reason that readers are deserting these will still be looking at pornography. The tone of the magazine dur- publications is that they’re fed up with The argument against lads’ magazines ing these early years was arch, the puerility, and would return if a may be just, or it may be overblown and witty, tongue-in-cheek – relatively more tasteful alternative appeared. prudish – but either way, it’s too late. sophisticated. It wasn’t intimidating. But it just isn’t true. Throughout the 18 December 2008 It didn’t set out to shock. It just didn’t time I worked for Zoo, its sales lagged © Telegraph Group Limited, London 2009 Should lap dancing be run out of town?

With a new venue opening every week, lap dancing has spread into British culture. Rachel Cooke talks to the men behind the boom, the women lured by the promise of easy money, and the campaigners battling to stop the clubs opening on your doorstep

he lap-dancing industry will remembered who I am and why I want quite simple: she needed to pay her tell you that its 10,000 (their to talk to her – she tells me: ‘I’d rather rent. ‘It felt like a desperate decision,’ Testimate) female employees not say what I am doing these days, for she says. ‘It was a case of: I can’t do are all as happy as Larry: that its the same reason that I won’t tell you anything else. But also I’d fallen for ‘performers’ are decently paid and my real name. These are people [the the myth that lap dancing is a good well looked after, and enjoy some of club owners] you don’t want to mess way of making a lot of money very the most flexible working in Britain. with. I am genuinely afraid of them. quickly.’ She applied for, and got, a job But I am not so sure. The first Who knows exactly what goes on as a dancer in a supposedly upmarket time I call Lucy, an ex-lap dancer, behind the scenes, but I’d still rather club. At the end of her first night’s she says: ‘I think you must have the not mess with it.’ work, however, she went home having wrong number’ and hangs up, fast. Lucy began lap dancing when she earned nothing at all. More alarmingly, The second time – by now she has lost her job as an office temp. It was she now owed the club some £80. Like

Issues www.independence.co.uk 32 ????????????

the vast majority of lap dancers in the undress. ‘But it was also extremely physical. It shouldn’t even be called UK, Lucy was self-employed. Not only boring, and drink made it less so.’ dancing. It’s not a show. The 3ft rule was she required to pay the club a dance Lap dancers need to tout for is a joke. You pay someone to get naked fee every time she wanted to work, a business, which means, in effect, and then grind away on your crotch.’ sum that could vary from £10 to £80 chatting men up, flirting. ‘You had to The pressure to shift boundaries (Friday nights were most expensive, have the same tedious conversations like this is a direct result of the clubs’ because they were most popular with over and over and over.’ Did she drink? business model: as freelances, the customers), but she also had to give ‘Yes. For me, it was for Dutch courage.’ women who ‘do’ more earn more. ‘In the club commission on every dance The only way to survive as a dancer, theory, you could decide only to dance performed (nude dances cost punters she believes, is to pull a psychological on the pole all night, or to dance topless £20, of which she kept £17.50; on trick on yourself. All lap dancers use rather than nude (a topless dance is slow nights, she might perform only a ‘dance name’ in the clubs. It lends £10, half the price of a ‘fully nude’ once or twice, or not at all). And then them anonymity, of sorts. But it also dance). But if you’re surrounded by there were the fines. ‘You got fined for gives them a persona to hide behind. 29 women who will take their pants everything, at £20 a time: if you were “Brook’, ‘Jordan’ or ‘Sasha’ is a much off, how on earth are you going to late, if you were wearing the wrong more fun, outgoing girl than the make money?’ shoes or dress, if you failed to dance on woman who plays her, and she favours Since 2003, when the Licensing the pole twice an hour. There was also a more outrageous clothes and make- Act came in, the number of lap- fine if you were caught breaking the 3ft up. Thus, for a time, it is possible to dancing clubs in Britain has almost rule [licensing laws require dancers to convince yourself that everything is doubled. There are now some 310 stay 3ft away from customers] – though OK. ‘No one in the club would express such establishments in the UK, though strangely, that one they never seemed any uncertainty about what they are this figure may not take into account to enforce.’ doing – they’re too busy competing struggling pubs which, their profits for work – so even if you do feel bad battered on one side by the smoking about it, you wonder if you are the ban and cheap supermarket booze, In 2008 a lap-dancing only one. You convince yourself that and on the other by the financial club opened in Britain your perception of what the job would downturn, are now turning to strip be like is the same as what the job is, nights to keep their businesses alive. almost every week even though there is a quite weird gap In 2008 a lap-dancing club opened in between the two. It’s only when you Britain almost every week – last May, have made the decision to leave that five opened for business – and not Lucy lasted for six months. ‘It was you realise how insane it all was.’ only in big cities and dreary out-of- very hard to make money: it was like And even once you are on the town business parks. There are now having a very competitive sales job. outside, it is not always easy to leave the venues in places such as Worthing They’d filled the shop with loads of clubs behind. ‘You have to start lying and Sidcup, Henley and Stratford- the same thing – us, the dancers – and straightaway – as soon as you apply for Upon-Avon: small, genteel towns then there’d be only five customers. It your next job. There’s going to be a gap to which people move for the good wasn’t just that we cost them nothing; on your CV. You probably also lie to schools. Residents usually oppose the the more of us there were, the more your family, and your boyfriend, and licensing of such venues, but only rarely they made, even if the place was it affects your relationships. If I had do their efforts to persuade the local empty. At the end of the night – 2am a pretty low opinion of men before I council to turn down such applications or whatever – you’d need to take a became a lap dancer, it only got worse come off. In 2008 only two campaigns taxi home, of course. But you’d have afterwards. Because you see the worst were successful: in Durham and West to pay for that, too, so I often ended of men in there.’ Kensington. In Durham a lap-dancing up walking. No one is looking out for What about the club owners’ club, to be operated by Vimac Leisure you, whatever the clubs say. You’re on insistence that lap dancing has bang in the middle of the cathedral your own.’ nothing whatsoever to do with the sex city, was initially granted a licence by Did any of the women enjoy the industry? That it is merely part of the the local council, a shock decision work? entertainment industry? For Lucy, this that was only overturned at an appeal ‘A small number were there because is laughable. ‘Anyone who works in lap for which residents bravely hired their they wanted to move into glamour dancing and who deludes themselves own barrister. modelling, and they thought this might that they are not a sex worker is in for The simple fact is that, tomorrow, be a way in. But for most it was about a shock. No one respects lap dancing. you or I or anyone could wake up to trying to make enough money to pay The rest of the world thinks you’re a find that the licensed premises at the their bills. There were problems with slag.’ This would, she thinks, be the end of our street had turned into, or drink and drugs; people were using case even if all the rules were observed. was shortly about to turn into, a strip coke and drink, especially drink, quite But, unfortunately, they rarely are. venue. Its windows would be blacked blatantly, to get hammered.’ Partly, she ‘Customers might not come in for out, and that would be it. Or we could says, this was the only way some women sex, but it is about sexual stimulation, discover that one of the big owners – For could pluck up enough courage to whatever the clubs say – and it is Your Eyes Only, perhaps, or Spearmint

Issues www.independence.co.uk 33 ???????????

Rhino – had applied to open a club on impact of such clubs on, say, nearby and two Labour MPs, Lynda Waltho our local high street, and that we were schools; these licences would also and Roberta Blackman-Woods, have almost entirely powerless to stop them. need to be renewed every year). tabled amendments. However, time Thanks to a loophole in the law (one Amazingly, just nine months later, is running out. ‘The government is so large you wonder about the ability the government announced that it not very responsive at the moment,’ of politicians to read through the most would indeed draw up proposals on says Levêque. ‘I am not hugely simple of documents), lap-dancing these lines. The Policing and Crime optimistic.’ clubs are licensed in exactly the same Bill, which includes this legislation, Is all this a fuss about nothing? After way as any pub or cafe. As a result, has now reached the committee stage all, 300 (the number of clubs in the objections to licence applications can in the Commons. It is expected to UK) is not that many, is it? And what only be raised by a tiny section of the pass through the Lords and become harm, really, do lap-dancing clubs do? local community – those who live law next month. From the outside, with their inevitable within 200m of the venue – and on strip of red carpet and their velvet only four grounds, as set out in the cordons, they look a good deal more Licensing Act 2003 (these grounds upmarket than most nightclubs. Girls are: public disorder, public nuisance, like Lucy, surely, are in the minority. crime and disorder, and protection of To the first three questions, the children). As you will know if you have Photo lap-dancing industry would answer: ever tried to object to, say, a pub’s late yes, no, and none, respectively. Its licence, protesting on these grounds is people would then tell you that the difficult. How to prove that crime is clubs’ smart exteriors reflect what up as a direct result of one nightspot? goes on inside – that they are, in fact, In the case of the lap-dancing clubs, ‘gentlemen’s clubs’ – and that this moreover, they are rich enough – and is why Lucy’s testament is not to be smart enough – to ensure that they trusted: a culture of ‘respect’ prevails in have sufficiently effective security to their professionally run establishments keep the street outside their venue Only there is a catch. Or two. For and, as a result, its employees tend quiet. All of which leaves residents one thing, the proposed legislation is to be extremely happy in their work. who are uncomfortable with the club’s not mandatory; it will be up to local ‘I’ve worked in regular bars,’ says main trade – the purchasing of a lap authorities to decide whether they Del Dhillon, the manager of Bandit dance, performed by a naked woman adopt it. Result: a postcode lottery Queen, a lap-dancing club in Dudley. – with no recourse. By law they cannot that the lap-dancing industry will do ‘Girls get molested in those places. This object on moral grounds, nor can they its best to exploit. Campaigners point is a nicer environment. Here, you can bring up the issue of gender equality out that while many councils – perhaps leave your girlfriend at the bar, and no and argue that such venues objectify the majority – will welcome the new other gentleman is going to chat her women – in spite of the fact that this legislation, some will resist. It is not up. That’s why 15% of our customers ruling puts local councils in breach of only that councils are already under- are women. Me and my partner, we Gender Equality Duty 2007, which resourced when it comes to licensing like a club like this, for a drink.’ requires them to consider gender in inspectors; in some smaller towns – Since Object came on the scene, the all decision-making. Newquay, which has four clubs, would club owners have mobilised, aware that All this, however, is set to change, be a good example of this – councillors if the mood is turning against them and in just a few weeks’ time. Or are convinced that lap dancing is in government, good public relations that’s the theory. In November 2007, beneficial to what they call the ‘night- could be important. They established a group called Object, which aims to time economy’. The second flaw in the the Lap Dancing Association, a body challenge the objectification of women, bill is that venues that host lap-dancing that claims to represent a third of launched a campaign called Stripping events less than once a month will be the industry, or 60 clubs, to ‘improve the Illusion. Supported by the Fawcett exempt. ‘The government is under a lot industry standards’; its secretary is Society and others – the group quickly of pressure from working men’s clubs, a woman, and when you call the built an effective coalition of MPs, which have occasional strip nights, to PR company that acts on its behalf, councillors and academics – Object weaken the reforms,’ says Sandrine you also deal with a young woman. began campaigning for a change Levêque of Object. ‘But the conditions Its president is Simon Warr, owner in the law. It wanted lap-dancing in those places, and especially in pubs of the British end of the Spearmint clubs to be classed as sex-encounter that turn to irregular lap dancing as a Rhino chain. In 2002 undercover establishments, as a Soho peep show way of improving revenues, is much police officers found that dancers might be; they would, in other words, worse than in the bigger venues. If in Spearmint Rhino in Tottenham need a new (and more expensive) anything, they need monitoring more, Court Road were making offers to licence to operate – one that would not less.’ customers with the ‘intonation’ of better take into account the feelings Levêque and her colleagues are sex, and of cocaine; the club came of local communities (because councils now working to put pressure on the close to losing its licence. At the would at last be able to consider the government to amend the legislation, magistrates court hearing, counsel

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for the Metropolitan Police described beautiful, and extremely soignée: crisp ‘Well, we need to make a distinction Warr as ‘not fit and proper’ to hold white shirt, dark jeans, soft sweater between clubs and premises that offer the licence. Unbowed, he is now high in Kelly green slung lightly about striptease.’ Are the latter proliferating? profile. It was Warr who last December her shoulders. This job, she tells me, ‘Yes. They are exploiting a licensing gave evidence to a Culture, Media and means that she can be with her children loophole.’ So he disapproves of those Sport select committee in defence of during the day, and work while they are venues? ‘Yes, because they have no lap dancing, though his arguments asleep. She has been here four months. proper safety facilities.’ He does not, proved to be anything but convincing. Given her background, would she ever though, disapprove of striptease per se. To the amazement of both MPs and have believed that she would one day So how does he feel about the change Peter Stringfellow, another witness, end up working in a place like this? in the law? If his clubs are as suitably he insisted that lap dancing has She smiles. ‘No, it would have seemed located and superbly run as he suggests, nothing to do with sexual stimulation. preposterous. But you have an alter surely it won’t be a problem for him, (Stringfellow, whose own club only ego. It’s quite hard to get your head applying for the new licences? His only offered topless dancers before the around. As people, all of us are quite real worry is likely to be the increased arrival of Spearmint Rhino in the UK, shy, retiring, insecure. My first night, financial costs. ‘I’m shocked by it,’ he rubbished this argument: ‘Of course I was on stage within 10 minutes. says. ‘And we are going to take this it’s sexually stimulating,’ he said.) You switch off. You think: OK, I’m to court. We will push for a judicial I meet Warr, a Kiwi who used auditioning for a Broadway show. You review.’ On what grounds? ‘There to work in the motor industry, at don’t see anything. You only see the has been no consultation, and the Spearmint Rhino in Bournemouth. lights.’ Is the money good? Like her government pledged not to increase But before he and I talk, I speak to colleagues, she is infuriatingly vague the bureaucratic burdens on business.’ three of his dancers. These women, as about this. ‘It’s hard to say how much If necessary, he says, the LDA will you would expect, are keen to defend we take home. It’s not a guaranteed go the European Court of Human the work they do and furious that what income. You set targets for yourself. Rights (I’ve since spoken to a licensing they regard as patronising feminists You think: tonight, I’m going to do 10 barrister about this point and it is seem bent on turning them into sex dances. I’m not going to the loo, or for bluster; he has no grounds). The LDA’s workers. However, their pride in their a cigarette. Otherwise you might just sit current plan of attack, however, is to work does not extend to allowing me and chat to someone fun all night.’ demand grandfather rights for existing to use their real names. All three insist The women go off to eat the clubs, which would mean that they that I use their dance names. Two sandwiches that Warr has laid on for would be automatically granted the of them tell me that this is to avoid them, and he and I go into another new licence, and on extended terms. upsetting their parents. The family of corner to talk, on a black leather But still: ‘It’s arse against the wall time the third knows full well what she does, banquette that has been torn and then for us. It’s bloody unfair.’ but still: she would rather not tell me badly mended with what looks like It should be noted that Scotland is covered her real name. duct tape. Lined up on either side of by different legislation on lap dancing than So, about these new licences. They him are various beefy, dark-suited and that which exists in England and Wales. are not happy. ‘People are going to apparently adoring male employees. start asking what extras we offer,’ says Warr insists, first of all, that lap dancing a This information is an extract Layla, 23. ‘It will make the public think is not a growth industry, in spite of the from a longer article which first we’re a brothel. It’s irritating enough openings last year. appeared in The Observer, 8 March when customers ask that now. How ‘Look at Bournemouth,’ he says. 2009. To read the full article, visit the dare these women fight a battle on ‘No new clubs in the last five years.’ Guardian archives at www.guardian. our behalf without even talking to But Bournemouth already has four co.uk us first?’ Her colleague, Jayda, agrees. such clubs: there is no room for more. © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2009 ‘We don’t sell sex. It’s a show. It’s the same as acting. You’re more protected in here than you are in a nightclub on a Saturday night. The security is amazing. No one misses a trick. You only have to say the word and they are gone, escorted out politely.’ The third Illustration: Bev Aisbett woman, Becky, 24, says: ‘Customers Selling Sex are respectful. Some are scared of p35 girls, so they find it so lovely that we’ll 112 x 71mm sit down and talk to them. We’re in control. There’s rarely any drooling. They admire what we do. They feel it takes courage.’ Jayda, 35, is a single mother of two. She also happens to be a Muslim. She is

Issues www.independence.co.uk 35 ??????????? Strip clubs to be licensed as Sex Encounter Venues

MPs vote to support lap dancing club licensing reforms

onight cross-party MPs voted Bill was introduced by Robert overwhelmingly to support Blackman-Woods MP (City of Tthe Government’s proposed Durham) calling for lapdance changes to the way lap dancing clubs Logo clubs to be licensed as Sex are licensed3. The new Shadow Encounter Establishments. Home Secretary, Chris Grayling The Bill was unopposed and MP, spoke strongly in favour of received cross-party support the reforms, as did MPs Lynda Dr Sasha Rakoff, Director of Ob- b. 18/6/08: The Department Waltho, Roberta Blackman-Woods ject, commented on the vote by MPs: for Culture, Media, and Sport and Andrew Slaughter. ‘We welcome the support shown began a consultation with all Lap dancing clubs are currently by MPs for reform of lap dancing local authorities in England and licensed under the 2003 Licensing Act club licensing. The current system Wales on whether they wanted in the same way as cafes and karaoke has acted as a green light to the greater powers to control and bars – with a Premises License. This industry – with a new lap dancing regulate lap dancing clubs. 75% lax regime has led to the number of venue opening, on average, every week of responding local authorities lap dancing clubs in the UK doubling since May 2008 alone. It has also acted asked for such powers. since 2004 to over 300 establishments, as a green light to sexism and ‘sex c. 21/9/08: The Rt. Hon. Jacqui with local communities powerless to object culture’ – a culture in which Smith announced at the stop the spread. women are increasingly portrayed as Labour Party Conference Following an intensive nine month sex objects, not people. that the Government would campaign led by the Fawcett Society ‘Changing the law will allow local grant local people a greater and Object2, the Government is set councils to consider gender equality say in stopping lap dancing to hand controls back to local people when licensing such venues and will clubs opening: http://www. through the Policing and Crime Bill restore democracy to the licensing labour.org.uk/jacqui_smith_ (PCB), by licensing lap dancing clubs process. Widespread support for speech,2008-09-21 as ‘Sex Encounter Venues’4. This will the reforms – from the public, d. 3/12/08: Plans to tighten the enable local authorities to control the local councils, Local Government licensing of lap dancing clubs number and location of lap dancing Association and women’s rights were announced in the Queen’s clubs in their area, and give more local organisations – has been reflected by Speech people a say in licensing decisions. today’s debate which highlighted the 4 Lap dancing clubs will be Dr Katherine Rake, Director of need for thorough and far-reaching licensed as Sex Encounter Venues the Fawcett Society, commented on reforms’. under the Local Government the vote by MPs: (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act ‘We welcome parliamentary References 1982. This will require lap support for these reforms. Lap 1 The Fawcett Society is the UK’s dancing club operators to obtain dancing clubs are sexist and promote leading campaign for women’s two licences; one for the sale of the degrading view that women are rights. www.fawcettsociety.org.uk alcohol (Premises License), and sex objects. All women have the right 2 Object is a women’s rights a second for live visual perform- to be treated with dignity and respect organisation which campaigns ances given for the purpose of and to feel safe in public spaces, yet against the objectification of sexual stimulation, which are areas around the clubs can become women in the media and popular provided for the direct or indirect ‘no-go’ areas for women. culture. www.object.org.uk financial gain of the operator ‘The licensing reforms will enable 3 The Policing and Crime intro- (Sex Encounter Venue licence). local authorities to control and duced by Home Secretary 19 January 2009 regulate lap dancing clubs, and enable Jacqui Smith MP, received its local communities to claim back second reading in the House of a The above information is reprinted their high-streets. It is crucial that Commons on 19/1/09. Key mo- with kind permission from the Fawcett Parliament ensures these reforms are ments in the campaign included Society. Visit www.fawcettsociety.org. robust, comprehensive, and deliver the following: uk for more information. change to all local communities.’ a. 18/6/08: a 10 Minute Rule © Fawcett Society

Issues www.independence.co.uk 36 ???????????? It’s lap-dancing business as usual

The half-reforms of new licensing legislation play into the hands of club owners who are only too adept at manipulating the law

petition of 10,000 names to By Sandrine Levêque It’s no surprise, then, that the No 10. People taking to the huge tide of people calling for Astreets to campaign in high change are now waking up to the streets nationwide. Monthly demos have adopted the reforms to those real implications of these half-hearted outside both political institutions that haven’t. reforms. Individuals, organisations, and lap-dancing clubs. A cross-party Second, an exemption has been local councils and parliamentarians coalition of women’s organisations, included for pubs and other venues are all calling on the government to women who’ve worked in lap-dancing that put on lap-dancing ‘specials’ less toughen up the licensing reforms – by clubs , councillors, parliamentarians, than once a month. It doesn’t take making them universal and removing academics, local authorities and a genius to work out that for clubs the frequency-based exemption, as the residents’ associations. The list goes wanting to develop a ‘stable of girls’, recently published joint letter from on – because the last year has seen as one club owner put it, touring councillors demonstrates. a growing tide of frustration, led by exempted pubs and bars to put on The commitment of ministers to Object and the Fawcett Society, about lap-dancing events could actually tackling inadequate licensing is to be licensing laws that treat lap-dancing be more lucrative than running a welcomed. However, they would do clubs in the same way as cafes or dedicated lap-dancing club. Add this well to heed the concerns of those restaurants. to falling sales across the pub trade, warning them that partial reforms So it was a big, collective sigh of and the scene is set for some serious will seriously undermine what they are relief that welcomed the government’s use of new loopholes, all courtesy of trying to achieve – a fair and socially announcement that licensing reforms the bill. It means that lap-dancing just licensing system. proposed by Object and Fawcett were activities occurring in such settings – 16 February 2009 to be included in the policing and which often provide shoddy working © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2009 crime bill. The reforms would see lap- conditions for performers – get the dancing clubs licensed as sex-encounter green light to keep doing so, while venues – where entertainment for anyone who wishes to have their say visual sexual stimulation is offered in this will find themselves denied (much to the disgruntlement of the a voice. Lap Dancing Association, which The combination of these factors vainly tried to argue this is not in its mean the bill will play right into business plan). the hands of an industry that is Yet the relief was short-lived. Closer renowned for its manipulation of scrutiny of the draft bill reveals two regulation. And it all amounts to a gaping holes. First, the reforms will major opportunity being missed. The be optional for local councils. What reforms offer a real chance to tip the will this mean? A postcode lottery in balance from lap-dancing club owners which whether you get a real say in back to ordinary people. For too long the licensing of a lap-dancing club a ‘markets never fail’ approach has will depend on whether your local dominated both our economic and council has bothered to take up the social thinking, hence 2003 licensing new sex-encounter venue category. It laws that essentially left lap-dancing will mean a patchwork of licensing clubs to ‘self-regulate’. That model has systems taking us right back to the been proved not to work. We need previous licensing regime, in which regulation that puts social priorities lap-dancing club owners such as Peter higher up the agenda and allows the Stringfellow brought pressure to bear social impact of venues – such as on local councils to match weaker sexism – to be a major consideration licensing in neighbouring areas. It will in licensing. This will take strong mean a ripple effect of displacement, licensing reforms, which are not at as clubs move from councils that present on the table.

Issues www.independence.co.uk 37 ??????????? Girls aged 5 ‘sexualised by toys like Bratz dolls’

oung girls are being sexualised By David Maddox, He said: ‘The use of sexual imagery by inappropriate toys and Political Correspondent is now more pervasive than before Ymagazines, a Holyrood com- and it does give a very disturbing mittee was warned yesterday. perspective on girls and young women. High-heeled slip-on shoes available 14-year-old innocents and end up as ‘For girls, it’s all about being more for babies, sexual slogans printed promiscuous 16-year-olds or in nude attractive to a man. For boys, it’s all on girls’ underwear and magazines pictorials.’ about looking at girls as sexual objects ‘blurring’ the lines by using child-like The committee also heard criticism because that is what they are being models, were highlighted to the equal of Playboy Bunny images being used trained to become.’ opportunities committee. on pencil cases and clothes marketed Ed Mayo, the chief executive of And one of the most popular at young children. Consumer Focus, warned that young brands of dolls on shop shelves came people were ‘more sexually confident in for particular criticism as the launch now than they have ever been’. of the inquiry into the sexualisation He added that this sexualisation of children. High-heeled slip-on shoes affected their school-work and led Bratz dolls, which have been available for babies, to many girls dropping out of the challenging Barbie for supremacy in school system. the girls’ toy market, were condemned sexual slogans printed But there was anger that some by the NSPCC as the committee on girls’ underwear and organisations had refused to turn opened an inquiry into increasing magazines ‘blurring’ the up to the committee meeting. They levels of sexual imagery in goods included Playboy, which sent in a aimed at children. lines by using child-like submission; Asda, which has been Tom Narducci, a senior consultant models, were highlighted under fire for selling clothes which for the NSPCC, criticised the way to the [Holyrood] equal sexualise young girls; the Scottish dolls were dressed in short skirts and Grocers Federation and the Scottish fishnet stockings and said they were opportunities committee Retail Consortium (SRC). sexualising girls as young as five. In a written submission, Playboy’s The dolls were among a list of chief executive, Christie Hefner, said products and activities brought to the There were fears that, at the that she would never allow licensees committee’s attention. extreme end, the social sexualisation to use the Playboy Bunny image on There were also worries about of girls was being used by paedophiles children’s products. young girls being given all-day beauty to make their victims feel responsible Fiona Moriarty, the SRC director, treatments with make-up and hair for abuse. And it was also feared wrote: ‘The SRC does not believe stylists, instead of traditional birthday that it could force children into that much of the committee’s parties. prostitution. focus is relevant to the retail sector But MGA Entertainments, which Mr Narducci warned that girls were – these issues are more aimed at makes the Bratz dolls, hit back, saying effectively being trained to become the manufacturing and advertising that the problem had far more to do sexual objects. sectors.’ with what youngsters saw on television screens at home. A spokesman said: ‘In the end, Bratz are plastic dolls which are conservatively dressed by today’s standards. Illustration: Bev Aisbett ‘The only people who have sexual Selling Sex images of them are adults, who have p38 their own thoughts about these 112 x 57mm things. ‘What is of far more concern is some of the live-action programmes where girls get their role models. These role models start out as 13- or

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But members of the round-table discussion disagreed. Nationalist MSP Sandra White called the SRC’s Teen mags ‘cause response ‘ridiculous’. Ms White added: ‘They’re absolving themselves early sexualisation’ completely, and that is absolutely wrong. I’m very disappointed with their attitude.’ Teenage magazines have been blasted for sexualising their young readers by the UK Government’s consumer watchdog What next? The equal opportunities committee eenage magazines have been blasted for sexualising their young readers was yesterday attempting to ‘test by the UK Government’s consumer watchdog. the water’ on the issue of whether T Ed Mayo, chief executive of Consumer Focus, said magazines young children are being sexualised which are read by children as young as ten or eleven contained content by products. which would shock their parents. The committee will now decide An example is contained in the latest edition of Sugar magazine, with an whether to take the issue forward average reader age of 14, features a spread entitled ‘Is it a crush or are you as a full-blown inquiry when it next gay?’. Bliss magazine, whose average reader is 15 years old, has previously discusses its work programme. invited girls to send in photographs of themselves to be judged on looks in a competition called ‘How Sexy Am I?’. Campaigners say the ‘normalisation’ of the magazines’ sexual ethos has contributed to soaring teenage pregnancy rates, warning that the current ‘The use of sexual regulatory system is ‘toothless’. imagery is now more A study of the magazines conducted by The Sunday Telegraph found that they contained sexually explicit material that could be in breach of pervasive than before’ industry guidelines. The magazine industry is self-regulated, with the Teenage Magazine Arbitration Panel (TMAP) existing to ensure that ‘the sexual content The committee’s Conservative of teenage magazines is presented in a responsible and appropriate convener, Margaret Mitchell, told The manner’. Scotsman that she believes there is a Its chairman, Dr Fleur Fisher, said: ‘Any complaints we receive from mood among members to take the readers are carefully checked against our guidelines, and we respond discussions to a more formal stage. ‘I accordingly.’ think the members of the committee However, critics argue that few parents are aware of the TMAP, which found it a very positive and interesting has ruled on just three complaints since it was launched in 1996. In the meeting,’ she said. past three years it has only received one complaint. ‘There is a lot of material to work Mr Mayo said: ‘There is no doubt that some of these magazines are on, but there is also a lack of proper responsible for the early sexualisation of children.’ research, which the committee could Sue Palmer, an educational consultant and the author of Toxic carry out. This is a subject that Childhood, said: ‘The reality is that children as young as 10 read these concerns people widely and one I magazines, and what they are being exposed to is often horrific and entirely think we are keen to pursue, but inappropriate. that ultimately is for the committee ‘The very blatantly sexual ethos expressed in them is becoming normalised members to decide.’ among young girls. Then we wonder why we have such high teenage If the committee does hold a pregnancy rates and a booming ladette culture.’ full inquiry into the issue, this can 21 March 2009 potentially form the background to new legislation, or could see the a The above information is reprinted with kind permission from ciNews. committee calling on the Scottish Visit www.cinews.co.uk for more information. Government to take certain steps to © ciNews tackle the problem. It is likely organisations such as Asda, Playboy or retail industry representatives who declined to come to yesterday’s meeting will be Photo called on again to give evidence to justify some of their commercial activities. 11 February 2009 © The Scotsman

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