See also Religious Watch Forum

Melanie-H    [26733.   Posted 20-Apr-2010 Tue 08:27] View Near Messages
Grampian and Tayside Police – Sexual Harassment ?

It seems the above have taken it upon themselves to trace the movements of WG’s visiting their areas and pay them a visit. There have been several incidents brought to light over the last few days which include plain clothes police officers arriving at hotels and apartments with details of the ladies working names, sometimes photographic evidence – face pics taken from private galleries on websites.
One lady described how she opened the door presuming it was house-keeping, only to be confronted by officers of the law addressing her by her working name. The room was checked for visitors, she was asked to put her money away in front of one of them (presumably so they couldn’t be accused of theft), asked her name, address, place of birth, husband’s name and maiden name. After a PNC radio check she was told they were aware of visitors she’d had and her comings and goings of that day. They mentioned management at the hotel had informed them.
However, what followed afterwards is most intriguing and worrying:-
“They then insisted they take a photograph of me. I was informed it was just for their file in case anything should happen to me on future visits. They mentioned they wanted to know who everyone was. This consisted of one of the officers using a video camera and him asking me to state my real name, date of birth and my working name to the camera. They then assisted me as I packed my stuff (hotel management had asked them to ask me to leave) and were very chatty and friendly asking me what I was going to do next. They politely assisted me from the building giving me a card and asking me to call if I was visiting the area again as he wanted to be made aware”

Can anyone shed any light on the legalities of this (the above lady wasn’t asked if she was being trafficked, or coerced and was working alone) ?

Melanie-H    [26732.   Posted 20-Apr-2010 Tue 08:26] View Near Messages
Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill - call for written evidence on Stage 2 amendments

The Justice Committee has agreed to take evidence at Stage 2 on some of the amendments lodged for Stage 2 which it considers raise significant new issues that were not considered during the Committee`s Stage 1 inquiry.

Amendment 8 (lodged by Trish Godman) proposes changes to the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 to create three new offences – engaging in a paid-for sexual activity, advertising paid-for sexual activities, and facilitating engagement in a paid-for sexual activity, all to be subject, on summary conviction, to a fine of up to £1,000.

Amendments to amendment 8 (8A-8D, lodged by Margo Macdonald) propose the addition of two further offences – causing alarm etc. by engaging in a paid-for sexual activity and profiting from coerced paid-for sexual activities – subject to the same penalties.

These amendments are grouped for debate with consequential amendments 9 and 9A, which specify which of the new offences are to be classed as “exploitation offences” for the purposes of the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004.


Just had word this morning from Scot-Pep tom say the amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill trying to criminalise sex work has been thrown out. It was deemed to be not appropriate to table such an amendment at such a late stage in the progress of the bill and that it needs to be looked into more. Not sure what happens next – they may set up an expert group to look at sex work or produce a new bill – but whatever they decide, nothing’s going to happen in the near futurethat the recent ammendement has been rejected.

Melanie-H    [26545.   Posted 5-Mar-2010 Fri 06:16] View Near Messages
[26506]
Thanks to both Janus17 and Harvey for the feedback re:Ammendment to the Justice Committee - Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill.

A brief update - Several submissions have been made to the proposed bill including those from Margo MacDonald, UK Network Sex Work Projects and Teela Sanders. All submissions can be found

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/justice/inquiries/criminaljusticeandlicensing/Stage2submissions.htm

Margo MacDonald`s office states :

"The committee has decided to take further written and oral evidence on the prostitution amendments
(also on other amendments, and it may be that Stage 2 will have to be given a formal extension). There
was no opposition to this in the committee or from Trish Godman who was present. A couple of MSPs said
very strongly that what is needed is research evidence, not opinion! The date given for the amendments to be considered in the committee is 2 weeks hence i.e. 16th March."

Following the recent resignation of Steven Purcell due to ill health, Councillor Jim Coleman is now the acting leader of Glasgow City Council - highly likely he now believes it was an `act of God` and the `crusade` to rid Scotland of any sexual pleasure/titilation must continue.

Melanie-H    [26506.   Posted 24-Feb-2010 Wed 11:14] View Near Messages
[26507]

4th Feb 2010 : MSP proposes amendment to criminalise prostitution, customers and advertisers.

The last date for submissions to the proposed amendment to the Scottish Police Bill is Thursday 25/02, though it seems these may still not be accepted - the clerk has judgement as to what is new evidence, and therefore what should be passed to the committee. It has been tabled late as a minor amendment, and therefore does not require proper scrutiny. It could almost go through with just a few minutes mention.


This criminalises all selling and buying of sexual services. Prostitution defintely but if Councillor Jim Coleman gets his way could apply to strip clubs, peep shows, lap dancing.
All Saunas and Agencies would be illegal. No advertisements in any paper, or Internet. (The Sport advertisements would be illegal, only foreign websites would work, adult-work maybe, but punter link would stop). Escort sites would have to be hosted offshore.

No doubts the `End Prostitution Now` propaganda tool will have a major influence on the outcome (which incidently I can find no reference to this campaign in the most recent annual Company report of the Glasgow Community and Safety Services Limited Company and even stranger when Glasgow City Council were approached under the Freedom of Information Act (Scotland 2002), as to - see Letter posted to Mr. Adams below - Access to the information was denied).


Dear Mr Adams
Request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Thank you for your email received on 8 December 2009 requesting that the following information be provided to you:

“Please could provide me with the following information, regarding the political campaign initiated by Glasgow City Council to change Scotland`s laws regarding prostitution:

a) The cost to the Glasgow taxpayer of your `End Prostitution Now` political campaign and associated activities.

b) Any additional funding or assistance received from other sources towards the End Prostitution Now` political campaign and associated activities.

c) Details of the number of people employed by Glasgow City Council working on this political campaign and associated activities, and of any other persons involved in this Glasgow City Council political campaign and associated activities not employed by the council.

d) Minutes of the meeting at which funding and approval for this political campaign and its associated activities was given.

e) Copies of any communication, or details and minutes of any meetings, between Glasgow City Council employees and outside campaign groups, campaigners, or politicians regarding the setting up or operation of this political campaign.

f) Brief details of any other political campaigns currently or recently being run by Glasgow City Council.”

The Council is treating your request as a request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

On inspecting our records, it would appear that Glasgow City Council does not hold the information which you have requested. Neither does anyone else hold



it on our behalf. Accordingly we are unable to comply with your request.

I can confirm that Glasgow City Council does not run political campaigns.

If you are dissatisfied with the way Glasgow City Council has dealt with your request you are entitled to require the Council to review its decision. Please note that for a review to take place you must:

• Lodge a written requirement for a review within 40 working days of the date of this letter
• Include a correspondence address and a description of the original request and the reason why you are dissatisfied
• Address your request to the Executive Director of Corporate Services:

Executive Director of Corporate Services
Glasgow City Council
City Chambers
George Square
Glasgow G2 1DU
Email: xxx.xxxxxxxx@xxx.xxxxxxx.xxx.xx

You will receive notice of the results of the review within 20 working days of receipt of your request. The notice will state the decision reached by the reviewing officer as well as details of how to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner if you are still dissatisfied with the Council’s response. You must request an internal review by the Council before a complaint can be directed to the Scottish Information Commissioner.

If you have any further queries regarding this process, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Yours sincerely

Link found at http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/user/taylor_adams



I`m not really sure how this forum works but apologies in advance if I`ve ballsed up and I`m sure if I have someone will let me know.