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New pilot poster campaign to make sex buyers think again
A new poster campaign to raise awareness of the exploitation and trafficking of some women among men who pay for sex was launched today by Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker, as part of the Government's six month review into tackling the demand for prostitution.
The posters are being piloted in men's toilets in pubs and clubs in Westminster and Nottingham. They will be supported by online advertising, with additional advice on the UK Human Trafficking Centre's "Blue Blindfold" website.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:
"Trafficking is a vile and evil trade and sex buyers must be made to think twice about the consequences of their actions. These women are being treated as commodities and are sold, controlled and exploited by others for a profit. This is totally unacceptable.
"The advertising campaign we are launching today should help draw attention to the plight these women face and make men think again about what they are doing."
A 2007 research report by the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit revealed the peak age for buying sex is 34, with men aged 20-40 counting for the majority. Most are employed, around half are in a relationship and over a fifth have children.
A key part of the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking is to undertake publicity and awareness-raising to reduce demand in the UK. A six month review looking at what more the Government can do to tackle the demand for prostitution began in January. The evaluation of the pilot marketing campaign will feed into the overall results of this review.
Notes to Editors:
1. Human trafficking is defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people, by means of threat, use of force, abuse or other forms of coercion, for the purposes of specified exploitation.
2. The posters being launched in Nottingham and Westminster today can be seen at http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/humantrafficking003.htm. The posters will run from 5 May until 30 May. The online advertisements will run until 27 June.
2. More information about the UK Human Trafficking Centre's Blue Blindfold campaign can be found at http://www.blueblindfold.co.uk
3. A copy of the 2007 Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit research report "It's like going to the Supermarket": Men who buy sex in East London can be found at: http://www.cwasu.org/filedown.asp?file=17242_LMU_Demand_Report_Text_screen-1.pdf
4. The Government launched a six month review in January 2008 to look at what more could be done to tackle the demand for prostitution. This began with a Ministerial visit to Sweden to explore the impact that legislation which criminalises paying for sex has had. A visit to the Netherlands is being scheduled for later this year to look at their approach to the issue. The results of this and the pilot poster campaign will feed into the final decisions of the review process.
