DEMO - Disabled People Challenging the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill 2008
the demonstration on tuesday afternoon went well *smile* we probably numbered 20-30 people, sat and stood in the (intermittant) sunshine on the south side of westminster bridge - a nice collection & collaboration of crips and sex workers. we seemed to attract quite a lot of attention - receiving the acknowledgement and support of passing pedestrians and traffic, and a lot of harder-to-guage-our-impact/impression tourist interest. we appeared to recruit a passer-by on the day, who having stopped (his bicycle) to find out what we were doing, got very busy chatting to people and distributing literature about who we were and what we were doing there - i was impressed *grin* and some poeple who are making a film for channel4 about sex workers in the UK and the current UK laws, investigating what the new law means and how it might affect the future of sex work in the UK, and exploring changing attitudes towards prostitution in the UK and how the government might make it a safer exchange in the future came, and were very charming, and interested and enthusiastic. it was interesting to me to realise that many people were oblivious/hadn't previously thought to the (rather unique, as well as more general) context in which sex workers and disabled people overlap/intersect/interact. it was nice to see people interested to think and talk and learn about this.
and, good news! (as far as i'm/we're concerned) there have already been some changes made to the proposals:
"Labour MP welcomes Government's u-turn on punitive prostitution plans
The announcement that the government is dropping plans to introduce compulsory rehabilitation for prostitutes and the threat of imprisonment is a great victory for the vibrant lobby led by the
Safety First Coalition opposing these draconian measures, demanding that women's safety is put first.
Clause 124 would have introduced compulsory rehabilitation for prostitute women, requiring anyone arrested for loitering or soliciting to attend a series of three meetings with a supervisor
approved by the court. Failure to comply would have resulted in a summons back to court and a possible 72-hours imprisonment.
This decision will mean that thousands of women have escaped potential imprisonment.
John McDonnell MP says:
`I welcome the government's announcement today and hope that it signals a future approach towards prostitution underlined by welfare measures rather than criminalisation, putting the needs and safety of prostitutes above the desire for moral condemnation.' "
and, good news! (as far as i'm/we're concerned) there have already been some changes made to the proposals:
"Labour MP welcomes Government's u-turn on punitive prostitution plans
The announcement that the government is dropping plans to introduce compulsory rehabilitation for prostitutes and the threat of imprisonment is a great victory for the vibrant lobby led by the
Safety First Coalition opposing these draconian measures, demanding that women's safety is put first.
Clause 124 would have introduced compulsory rehabilitation for prostitute women, requiring anyone arrested for loitering or soliciting to attend a series of three meetings with a supervisor
approved by the court. Failure to comply would have resulted in a summons back to court and a possible 72-hours imprisonment.
This decision will mean that thousands of women have escaped potential imprisonment.
John McDonnell MP says:
`I welcome the government's announcement today and hope that it signals a future approach towards prostitution underlined by welfare measures rather than criminalisation, putting the needs and safety of prostitutes above the desire for moral condemnation.' "