United Kingdom’s harsh stance on prostitution has led a group of former prostitutes to sue the Government. The prostitutes, many of them that have been out of the industry for over 20 years or were forced into the sex trade, are suing because of the inability to volunteer with the Brownie groups.
The lawsuit alleges that when the volunteer group does a search for criminal records, their names come up and disallow them from being a volunteer.
Women involved in the lawsuit allege that the government’s policies are too strict, as convictions for soliciting remain on their records. These women claim that the policies are discriminatory in nature and have a negative impact on their private lives.
The group, which consists of many women who want to remain anonymous, claims that the convictions have stopped them from taking certain job opportunities and volunteering in the community.
One woman claims that she is treated like a pariah or a sex offender. She claims that no matter what she tries to do, her record stops her from living a normal life. She states that she can’t even help out at her children’s school because of her background. Training for employment and even educational offerings are stopped once her background is discovered.
She claims she cannot work with the elderly or enter a political career because of her life that she fought to leave. The women, remaining anonymous, claims that she never chose that life and that she is no longer that person.
The case has made waves in the local media. The High Court will hear the case. Many women involved in the lawsuit claim that the policies are against the Modern Slavery Act. The women that were forced into prostitution as teenagers or were trafficked are still being held back for convictions from when they were teenagers despite the circumstances surrounding their case.
Fiona Broadfoot, a woman that does not wish to remain anonymous, cites a conviction that dates back over 20 years. Broadfoot claims she met her pimp when she was just 15 and still has difficulty seeking employment. She claims that she has to continually explain her record to potential employers in a routine that feels like she has to explain her history of abuse over and over again.
The women have criminal convictions under the Street Offences Act 1959 reports The Independent.
Lawyers for the women’s group state that some of the women’s charges fall into the definition of modern slavery. The group claims that they’re not advocating for a decriminalization of prostitution. The group alleges that the women involved in the trade, many of them against their will, should not be the focus of the law.
The focus of the law should be the pimps, buyers and people that control the trade claim the group.
The hearing is expected to last two days and will have a lasting impact on prostitution in the United Kingdom. Lawmakers claim that the landmark ruling has the potential to decriminalize the prostitution industry completely.
