Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Sarah Champion (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 July 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 July 2019. It was answered by Victoria Atkins (Conservative) on Monday, 22 July 2019 on behalf of the Home Office.

Education and Employment: Women

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July to Question 269825, what steps she has taken to implement recommendation 36 (e) of the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women to create educational and employment opportunities for women who wish to exit prostitution.

Answer

We believe that people who want to leave prostitution should be given every opportunity to find routes out. The Government’s priority is to protect those selling sex from harm and exploitation and target those who exploit vulnerable people involved in prostitution.

To these ends, since 2016, we have provided over £2m to organisations supporting sex workers, this includes £650,000 through the Violence Against Women and Girls Service Transformation Fund to Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner to provide a victim-focused service for sex workers who are victims, or at risk, of sexual or domestic violence and abuse, exploitation or human trafficking.

The Tampon Tax Fund has also been used to provide specialist support to sex workers. Since 2016 we have provided £389,000 of funding which has been awarded to four specialist organisations supporting women to exit prostitution: One25; Street Talk; Women at the Well; and the Magdalene Group.

In March 2017, £595,917 was also awarded via the Tampon Tax Fund to three organisations working with women involved in prostitution: Brighton Oasis Project; the Joanna Project and WM Consortium Sexual Violence Providers.

Additionally, in 2018, Camden Council was awarded £398,000 through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government £20m fund to support women with chaotic lifestyles, including those involved in prostitution.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
275758
Session
2017-19
Related items
Jobcentre Plus: Women
Friday, 5 July 2019
Written questions
House of Commons
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Women Employment Education Discrimination Prostitution
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk