Prostitution Related Activity Public Spaces Protection Order

A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) covering the whole borough has been in place since August 2018 following recommendations from the Council’s Routes Out of Prostitution Scrutiny Working Group. This has enabled the Council to introduce measures focused on disrupting demand for sex work by targeting those purchasing sex.

Following the success of the implementation of this PSPO in curbing prostitution related activity, the Council is now reviewing plans to introduce a more targeted PSPO to continue to enforce in a similar manner in hotspot areas, specific to Ilford Lane, Cranbrook Road, and the surrounding areas.

Local people have consistently told us that this issue is important to them, and taking action on prostitution related activity makes them feel safer, allows them to be more confident when taking journeys across the area, and improves their sense of pride in their local area.

Rationale

This approach originates from the Council’s policy statement that:

The Council believe that no one should be able to buy the body of another person for sex, where management, control or coercion is involved.

The Council believes that the majority of people involved in prostitution are vulnerable whether that might be as a result of substance misuse or the wider prevalence of poverty, management, control and coercion. As such those involved in prostitution need to be supported rather than punished, putting their safety and wellbeing first.

The Council believes that work should focus on a combination of enforcement activity to reduce demand including taking a more focused approach to kerb crawling, control and coercion, coupled with taking a supportive approach to women, seeking to increase engagement with services that provide exit opportunities.

The Council believes that where on street prostitution is present, the local community and local councillors should be involved in the development and review of partnership and support activity.

The existing PSPO has proved successful in significantly reducing the impact of prostitution across the borough, including a reduction in the number of complaints from residents. There is sufficient evidence however to support a further PSPO as prostitution related activity is still occurring, concentrated in hotspot areas. There is a need to continue to enforce against individuals seeking to purchase sex in these areas.

The PSPO has proved an effective deterrent to date. Without a PSPO in place, the burden of proof required to arrest, charge and get a criminal justice outcome in court for kerb crawlers means that specialist Police resources are required. With each arrest made, the Police officers responsible must process the individual, which then takes them off the street.

The PSPO enables Police and Council officers to fine (£100) individuals they believe are in the designated area for the purpose of buying sex, which will have an immediate impact on the perpetrator whilst keeping officers out on the street and maintaining a strong enforcement presence.

The PSPO has also proved effective in reducing other prostitution related anti-social behaviour caused by kerb crawlers approaching and propositioning people living and working in the area who are not engaged in prostitution and from witnessing sex acts in public and the detritus from sex acts.

The overall aim of the PSPO is to reduce antisocial behaviour and improve experiences of the public realm in the specified areas.

The Proposed Order

The Order will last for a period of three years unless revoked by the Council. In order to introduce a PSPO it is necessary to undertake a period of public consultation to ensure residents are supportive of such action. Please use the public consultation form below to provide your views.

It is proposed that the new PSPO would involve the following components:

(i) No person shall buy or attempt to buy sexual services from another person in the public spaces identified as part of this Order.

(ii) No person shall verbally abuse, harass, or behave in any way towards other persons in a manner which is of a sexual nature, and which causes or is likely to cause them or persons present, harassment, alarm, or distress in the public spaces identified by this Order. This will include, but is not limited to, asking if they are for hire, and making sexually inappropriate comments or gestures.

(iii) A person who an Authorised Person reasonably suspects of breaching any of the prohibitions in this Order shall, upon request of the Authorised Person, provide their name, address, and date of birth to the Authorised Person

(iv) A requirement under (iii) is not valid if the Authorised Person is asked by the persons subject to the requirement to show evidence of their authorisation and they fail to do so.