2 APRIL 2006

Ban the home-based Brothels

The Family First Lobby calls on politicians from all parties to introduce legislation to support Bylaws from Councils which ban brothels by schools, churches and homes.

Christchurch, Auckland and North Shore are having these bylaws, which were backed by overwhelming support from ratepayers, being challenged by brothels and subsequently overturned by the courts. This means that small owner operated brothels (SOOB's) with up to 4 sex workers can set up or remain next door to a family home or a school (as in the Birkenhead case.)

"The politicians should never have voted for a law that allows this situation to happen," says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of the Family First Lobby. "The law was fundamentally flawed as we can see from the deaths in Christchurch of prostitutes, and the increasing number of teenage prostitutes."

Judge Stephen Erber, sentencing a man for sexual assaults on underage girls in the Christchurch District Court, said "The legalization of prostitution has probably encouraged younger prostitutes in search of money."

"Judge Erber is unfortunately dead right and this backs up what many opponents of the decriminalisation knew would happen." says Bob McCoskrie.

"But to allow brothels next to a family home or school entrance is a disgrace. We already have accounts of home brothels where men willing to pay for sex are knocking on nearby homes trying to find the brothel. As a man and as a father, I would not want my children answering that door! We must not put our children and families at risk."

"We call on the politicians to change the legislation so that the Councils can confine brothels to areas well away from our children and families."

"This law has failed prostitutes by encouraging them to think that prostitution can be safe - which it can never be. But now the law is also failing our communities. We must change it before it is too late and our children become victims, similar to our teenagers."

ENDS

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