A third of councils unwittingly license sex premises, report finds

A major study into prostitution in the capital has revealed
there are between 2972 and 5861 women selling sex in 730 sites
across all 33 London boroughs, writes Sally
Gillen.

Research carried out over six months by the Poppy Project, which is
part of London charity Eaves Housing, found that at least a third
of councils had unwittingly licensed premises where sex was
sold.

Author Sandra Dickson said: “The off-street sex industry is
largely ignored in most discussions of prostitution, yet the women
working in it are also vulnerable to being exploited by pimps and
traffickers.”

Among the reports recommendations are that sex education packs for
teenage boys should be developed, which could be part of the
national curriculum, including information on the realities of
prostitution.

Further research into the needs of women working in the sex
industry is needed, adds the report.