Crime and Policing Bill

Written evidence submitted by Daniel (CPB28)

Opposition to the Proposed Amendments to the UK Police & Crime Bill

Executive Summary

● The Nordic model criminalises clients based on moral ideology, isolating sex workers and increasing stigma.

● Evidence from France, Sweden, and Northern Ireland shows that criminalising clients pushes sex work underground, making it harder to screen clients and refuse dangerous situations, which leads to increased violence.

● Adult services websites provide a critical safety net, allowing independent sex workers to screen clients and avoid exploitative intermediaries. Removing these platforms would force many into street-based work or dependency on third parties, as seen after FOSTA/SESTA in the U.S.

● Censorship of legal pornography undermines freedom of expression and disproportionately harms marginalised creators, particularly LGBTQ+ and disabled performers. Ethical adult content should be supported, not suppressed.

Introduction

I am a UK citizen committed to freedom of expression, bodily autonomy, and harm reduction.

I personally know individuals in the sex industry who have described the dangers they face-dangers that will increase if these amendments pass. Criminalisation will not stop sex work, but it will force it further underground, making it more dangerous for those involved.

Main Arguments

1. The Nordic Model Increases Violence Against Sex Workers

● France: 63% of sex workers reported worse living conditions, and 42% experienced increased violence after criminalisation.

Source: Médecins du Monde (2018) – "What do sex workers think about the French Prostitution Act?"

● Northern Ireland: No significant reduction in demand, but violence against sex workers increased.

Source: Queen’s University Belfast (2019) – "Sexual Exploitation and Sex Work Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland"

2. Criminalisation Pushes Sex Work Underground, Reducing Safety

● Fear of arrest forces clients to hide their identities, undermining screening practices.

Source: Amnesty International – "Sex workers’ rights are human rights"

● Criminalised settings create barriers to reporting violence and abuse.

Source: UNAIDS – "Sex work, HIV and the law"

3. Adult Services Websites Are Essential for Safety

● Online platforms allow sex workers to screen clients, work independently, and avoid exploitative intermediaries.

Source: Sex Work Research Hub / University of Leicester – "Internet-based sex work"

● In the U.S., the shutdown of online platforms under FOSTA/SESTA led to income loss, increased violence, and fewer safety tools.

Source: Hacking//Hustling – "Erased: The Impact of FOSTA-SESTA" (2020)

4. Full Decriminalisation Is Supported by Global Human Rights and Health Organisations

Decriminalisation is the only approach backed by experts:

• Amnesty International

• UNAIDS

• Human Rights Watch

• World Health Organization

• Open Society Foundations – "10 Reasons to Decriminalize Sex Work"

5. Decriminalisation Improves Health, Safety, and Access to Justice

• New Zealand (where sex work is decriminalised):

• Increased safety

• Better police relations

• Improved working conditions

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Justice – "Report of the Prostitution Law Review Committee" (2008)

• Associated with lower HIV transmission rates, greater healthcare access, and reduced exploitation.

Source: Lancet Series on HIV and Sex Workers (2015)

6. Pornography Is a Form of Expression and Should Not Be Censored

● Legal adult content is protected under UK law and human rights frameworks (Article 10, Human Rights Act 1998).

Source: Equality and Human Rights Commission – Freedom of Expression

● Restrictions disproportionately harm LGBTQ+, disabled, and non-mainstream creators.

Source: Woodhull Freedom Foundation – "Sex Work & Free Expression"

Key Arguments in Summary

On Decriminalisation

● Every major human rights organisation agrees: Decriminalisation saves lives.

● Public health and criminalisation cannot coexist.

● Giving sex workers legal rights improves safety and reduces harm.

On Pornography and Expression

● Sexual expression is not a crime.

● Censorship erases marginalised identities rather than protecting people.

● Better conditions-not bans-improve the adult industry.

On Adult Services Websites

● These platforms protect sex workers.

● Shutting them down removes safety nets, not exploitation.

● The internet allows workers to screen, negotiate, and say no.

On the Nordic Model

● Criminalising clients punishes sex workers in practice.

● When clients fear arrest, workers lose control.

● Screening clients is critical for safety-the Nordic Model removes that option.

Recommendations to the Government

I urge the Government and the Committee to listen to sex workers and industry professionals directly affected by these amendments.

Instead of criminalisation and censorship, the UK should adopt evidence-based, harm reduction policies:

● Full decriminalisation of consensual adult sex work

● Protection of legal adult content under free expression laws

● Support for sex workers’ access to online safety tools

Criminalisation does not prevent exploitation-it makes it worse. If the goal is public safety, then policymakers must prioritise decriminalisation and harm reduction over ideology.

Final Thoughts

● You can’t protect sex workers by making their work more dangerous.

● Criminalisation doesn’t stop sex work-it stops safety.

● Good policy is based on evidence, not morality.

March 2025