Ex-brothel owner in battle over law reform (From Bournemouth Echo)

Ex-brothel owner in battle over law reform

7:30pm Wednesday 26th November 2008 in

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A FORMER brothel owner was among a group who lobbied the House of Commons on Tuesday in protest at plans to bring in a new law to prosecute men for rape if they use trafficked prostitutes.

Home secretary Jacqui Smith has proposed legislation for England and Wales where men could be prosecuted for sex with a trafficked woman, or one who is under the control of a pimp, even if they did not know this was the case.

In addition, first-time kerb crawlers would face prosecution and there would be new police powers to close brothels.

Former Bournemouth brothel keeper Vanessa Coleman said it was a “ridiculous law” that was being proposed, her business had been “empowering” for women, and that trafficked women were in the minority in the sex trade.

She believes brothels should be legalised, taxes paid and official checks made.

“My concern is for sex trafficked women. It would be a living hell to be a woman in that position,” she said.

“This law they are intending to bring in will not help these women. It will send it underground.

“The only way you can find things out is to bring it to the surface.”

Mrs Coleman, a mother and grandmother, was jailed for eight months in 2006 after admitting running houses of ill-repute and possessing counterfeit goods.

Her sentence was later cut to two months.

Annette Brooke, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid-Dorset and North Poole, said similar legislation had not worked in Finland.

“I have visited Moldova to look at the whole issue of children being trafficked for the sex industry.

“I think it is an appalling crime,” she said.

“However, I have great reservations about this legislation.

“I will support anything that cuts back human trafficking but I think we have got to scrutinise this very closely.”

Christchurch’s Conservative MP Chris Chope said: “The home secretary seems to want to outlaw the oldest profession in the world.”

He added: “The actual problem they want to address, the problem of trafficked women, it’s not going to deal with that at all.”