An Evaluation of The Home Office Review of Effective Practice in Responding to Prostitution

Sep 13, 2011

The Home Office has released ‘A Review of Effective Practice in Responding to Prostitution’. This review focuses on the importance of a multi agency approach working at a local level (Local Authorities and Community Safety partnerships) over the importance of a national strategy. This has its benefits in trying to tailor the responses to prostitution to each localities needs, recognising the complexities involved and the range of issues that need to be addressed in each community. The review highlights different case studies where this multi-agency local level approach has been effective, yet it is difficult to know if these cases are representative of what is happening elsewhere. What is worth questioning is whether this local level approach will be the best in ensuring that the need of those exploited through prostitution are being addressed, or whether there is also a need for an enforcement of a national strategy. As local authorities’ budgets are strained will the women involved in prostitution be left at the bottom of the pile again as others needs are prioritised?
To read the full Home Office report, click here.