Regulating Prostitution: Social Inclusion, Responsibilization and the Politics of Prostitution Reform

• NCJ Number: 220630
• Journal: British Journal of Criminology Volume: 47 Issue: 5 Dated: September 2007 Pages: 764-778
• Author(s): Jane Scoular; Maggie O'Neill
• Date Published: September 2007
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This paper critically examines Great Britain's change in the regulatory framework for prostitution, which moves from "enforcement" (punishment) to "multiagency" (regulatory) responses.

Abstract

The first part of the paper reviews the ways in which the recent changes in the regulation of prostitution are based in new forms of governance. The focus is on the increased use of multiagency intervention designed to guide women out of prostitution according to guidelines specified in the Home Office's "A Coordinated Prostitution Strategy." The critique of this approach highlights the ways in which the regulations and their implementation mirror the traditional moral and political regulation of sex workers, which offers social acceptance to those who quit prostitution while continuing to criminalize and marginalize those who choose to work as prostitutes. The second part of the paper examines the politics of reforming the governance of prostitution based on an analysis of the complex experiences and cultures of sex workers. Sociological and criminological research has shown that involvement in street prostitution is an inherently social activity that stems from the conditions of women's lives and choices made as a result of those conditions. A thorough analysis of these conditions and the reasons for engaging in prostitution is essential for the development of a policy that serves the needs of these women as well as the needs and interests of mainstream society. Research should give attention to the abusive experiences of those in sex work that make them victims; public health issues for prostitutes, their clients, and the general public; and whether the inherent nature and effects of sex work are harmful to prostitutes, their clients, and society. As research explores these issues, the likelihood of developing an appropriate regulatory framework will increase. 1 figure, 57 references