Inaccurate reporting from the BBC

This article appeared on the BBC, which in the last paragraph contained an inaccurate statement.

Cracking Down on Kerb Crawlers


I would like to comment on an inaccuracy in the article written by Chris Robinson that appeared on the 22nd concerning Cracking Down on Kerb Crawlers.
The last paragraph states.

The Policing and Crime Act, designed to tackle crime and disorder, received Royal Assent on 12 November, 2009. It includesa new offence of paying for sex with a prostitute who is controlled for gain, alongside changes to loitering offences, kerb-crawling offences and brothel closure orders.

This is inaccurate. The original drafted law includes a new offence of paying for sex with a prostitute who is controlled for gain. This was changed during the parliamentary reading, to uses force, threats (whether or not relating to violence) or any other form of coercion, or practises any form of deception.

This is entirely different to control for gain. Case history on control for gain covers all escort agencies and brothels, where money is taken, and the agency takes a booking. There was much pressure brought to change this clause behind the scenes from the ECP and the IUSW and many others. If that clause control for gain had gone through, then all paid sexual encounters with escorts from agencies and massage parlours would have broken the law.

Now with the wording which was changed during the parliamentary process, very few women working for agencies, and brothels would be covered by the new wording. Most women working in prostitution are working to make money for their families and children for economic reasons, and are not coerced, but they are controlled for gain because they have chosen to work for an employer. The employer (escort agency is still liable for prosecution, as they have always). Why an escort should be singled out not to have a choice of working for a legal employee is an amazing state of affairs and should be looked into. Appears to me to breach their human rights.

I am glad you mentioned the ECP. But please when you quote the legislation that is about to be implemented, please get it correct. There is a huge difference between 80% of clients being criminal (control for gain) and a handful under the new yet to be implemented legislation.

I hope you correct the article and issue a retraction on this very important point. I expect more from my BBC taxation.