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| Smith accused over prostitute law | Smith accused over prostitute law |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has been accused of back-tracking on a pledge to protect women forced into prostitution. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has been accused of back-tracking on a pledge to protect women forced into prostitution. |
| The criticism follows the government's decision to modify new legislation aimed at protecting those who are the victims of traffickers and pimps. | The criticism follows the government's decision to modify new legislation aimed at protecting those who are the victims of traffickers and pimps. |
| The change relates to wording in a clause covering who would be protected by creating an offence of "purchase or attempted purchase of sexual services". | The change relates to wording in a clause covering who would be protected by creating an offence of "purchase or attempted purchase of sexual services". |
| Women's charity Eaves said the effect would be to dilute the legislation. | Women's charity Eaves said the effect would be to dilute the legislation. |
| The legislation is receiving its third and final consideration at the House of Commons later. | The legislation is receiving its third and final consideration at the House of Commons later. |
| Clause 13 of the Policing and Crime Bill was originally drafted to create an offence of the purchase, or attempted purchase, of sexual services from anyone "controlled for gain by a third party". | Clause 13 of the Policing and Crime Bill was originally drafted to create an offence of the purchase, or attempted purchase, of sexual services from anyone "controlled for gain by a third party". |
| 'Extremely disappointed' | 'Extremely disappointed' |
| However, the home secretary now proposes to replace "controlled for gain" with "subjected to force, deception or threats". | However, the home secretary now proposes to replace "controlled for gain" with "subjected to force, deception or threats". |
| BBC home affairs correspondent June Kelly said that when the bill was created six months ago, Ms Smith said she wanted to shift the focus onto men who paid for sex and who were creating the demand for prostitution. | |
| The 'controlled for gain' clause was so wide that it could have been used against anyone working with another person - even someone working with a another prostitute for safety Nicky Adam, English Collective of Prostitutes | The 'controlled for gain' clause was so wide that it could have been used against anyone working with another person - even someone working with a another prostitute for safety Nicky Adam, English Collective of Prostitutes |
| Eaves said the new wording was too narrow, and is calling for criminalisation of all forms of demand. | |
| It said by making the change, Ms Smith's amendment would be likely to deny justice to British women in particular, to whom trafficking legislation does not typically apply. | |
| Eaves runs the Ministry of Justice-funded Poppy Project, which provides accommodation and support to women trafficked into the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation. | Eaves runs the Ministry of Justice-funded Poppy Project, which provides accommodation and support to women trafficked into the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation. |
| Director of services Frances Brodrick said: "In effect, this amendment reverses the significant progress made towards appropriate legislation over the past 18 months. | Director of services Frances Brodrick said: "In effect, this amendment reverses the significant progress made towards appropriate legislation over the past 18 months. |
| "If anything, we should be following the Nordic model - which recognises the gross human rights violations suffered by many women in prostitution, and takes action accordingly by criminalising all forms of demand - rather than further diluting what was already a comparatively timid legislative step. | "If anything, we should be following the Nordic model - which recognises the gross human rights violations suffered by many women in prostitution, and takes action accordingly by criminalising all forms of demand - rather than further diluting what was already a comparatively timid legislative step. |
| "We are extremely disappointed by this backwards move." | "We are extremely disappointed by this backwards move." |
| Broad terms | Broad terms |
| However, Nicky Adam, of the English Collective of Prostitutes, thinks the proposed changes are an improvement. | However, Nicky Adam, of the English Collective of Prostitutes, thinks the proposed changes are an improvement. |
| She said: "The change is an acknowledgement that there's a difference between prostitution and violence." | She said: "The change is an acknowledgement that there's a difference between prostitution and violence." |
| But she also said the ECP believes the whole clause should be abolished, because there are existing laws that would deal with situations where a woman was subjected to violence or coercion. | But she also said the ECP believes the whole clause should be abolished, because there are existing laws that would deal with situations where a woman was subjected to violence or coercion. |
| "The 'controlled for gain' clause was so wide that it could have been used against anyone working with another person - even someone working with a another prostitute for safety," she added. | "The 'controlled for gain' clause was so wide that it could have been used against anyone working with another person - even someone working with a another prostitute for safety," she added. |
| "It would have been used to criminalise women working independently and collectively, forcing women to work on their own, thus making them much more vulnerable to attack." | "It would have been used to criminalise women working independently and collectively, forcing women to work on their own, thus making them much more vulnerable to attack." |