Post by admin on Jan 2, 2008 3:27:42 GMT -5
Prostitutes Face Jail If They Refuse Help
Updated:05:53, Wednesday January 02, 2008
Thousands of prostitutes face up to 72 hours in jail if they fail to comply with counselling sessions under proposed new laws, it has been claimed.
Moves to order counselling sessions for convicted sex workers
Moves to order counselling sessions for convicted sex workers
The Criminal Justice & Immigration Bill could see women convicted of loitering and soliciting being ordered to attend three one-hour sessions or suffer three days in detention.
The counselling, imposed instead of a fine or any other penalty, would be aimed at helping women find ways of ending the sex trade.
But probation service union Napo said the majority of women involved in prostitution have drug and alcohol addictions, have children to support and little prospect of alternative employment.
It also argued that those conducting the sessions would "in all probability" be from the probation service - but there are no resources for the sessions and the majority of women will not turn up.
The union warned there is a "real risk" that community homes, police stations and prisons will be "overwhelmed" by women who are in default of their orders.
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"Thousands of prostitutes will be criminalised and face three days needlessly in jail at the time when the system is in meltdown," Napo said in a briefing note.
The union has urged MPs to vote to delete the measures from the Bill when it is debated in the House of Commons next Wednesday.
Harry Fletcher, Napo assistant general secretary said: "The vast majority of women have no obvious alternative source of income or employment and the majority have severe problems with drugs and alcohol.
"Three compulsory counselling sessions are hardly going to help. The threat of a short period of incarceration for failure to turn up turns the clock back 25 years."
He said, if the probation service or other organisations are to be involved, they must have the resources to offer the women real alternatives.
A Government spokesman said: "Counselling sessions ... would not necessarily be undertaken by the Probation Service - that would be designated by the court and could also be done by a local support network for prostitutes or a drug treatment service."
news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1298929,00.html?f=rss