Massive support for legalisation of prostitution
Thursday, 27 November 2008 6:12 PM
There are signs of massive public support for a law legalising prostitution, a politics.co.uk poll revealed today.
The news follows government plans to criminalise paying for sex when the worker is "under the control" of someone else - effectively criminalising 90 per cent of transactions.
politics.co.uk asked users what should be done with the industry. Seventy-two per cent called for legalisation, with only 5.4 per cent saying it should be banned completely.
The Home Office plans unveiled last week enjoyed very little support with only eight per cent of respondents saying they supported the measure. Thirteen per cent said there should be no change.
Asked whether the new law will work, responses were overwhelmingly negative, with 91.8 per cent of people saying 'no'.
Similar numbers thought there was no chance of ever abolishing prostitution in the UK, with 95 per cent saying it will always take place.
Responses to a question about the purpose of prostitution laws were equally emphatic. Eighty-nine per cent of politics.co.uk users said the purpose of legislation should be to keep sex workers safe.
Just five per cent said the purpose should be to crack down on prostitutes. The same percentage thought the guiding aim should be to protect trafficked men and women.
The changes to the prostitution law followed an extensive research period in the Home Office, with ministers visiting Sweden, where the trade is criminalised, and Holland, where it is legal.
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