Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Purpose of the group

1. We understand CSE to be a function of gender inequality, and a form of gender-based violence. We work to the Scottish Government’s National Violence Against Women and Girls Approach, Equally Safe, and their definition of Violence Against Women, which includes prostitution, pornography, trafficking, lap-dancing, stripping, pole-dancing and table-dancing as forms of commercial sexual exploitation. We believe that these activities have been shown to be harmful for individuals involved and can have a negative impact on the position of all women through the objectification of women’s bodies. It is essential to separate sexual activity from exploitative sexual activity. 
2. We promote the pursuit of legislation which prevents and challenges demand for commercial sexual exploitation.
3. Therefore, we support a change in the current legislative balance of criminalisation, from prosecuting/penalising/criminalising those individuals who have been exploited in prostitution towards a challenge demand approach: penalising those who create the demand (purchasers).
4. We believe the law should support those involved in selling sexual activity in exiting/planning to exit prostitution.

Forthcoming meetings

Next meeting:

Agendas/Links

• Agenda for meeting 03 April 2019 (106KB pdf)
• Agenda for meeting 04 June 2019 (58KB pdf) 
• Agenda for meeting 24 September 2019 (65KB pdf)
• Agenda for meeting 19 November 2019 (70KB pdf)
• Agenda for meeting 10 March 2020 (108KB pdf)

Minutes

• Minutes of Meeting 23 November 2016 (325KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 21 February 2017 (361KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 26 September 2017 (238KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 28 November 2017 (205KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 26 June 2018 (210KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 25 September 2018 (208KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 11 December 2018 (195KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 3 April 2019 (175KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 4 June 2019 (195KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 24 September 2019 (280KB pdf)
• Minutes of Meeting 19 November 2019 (171KB pdf)

Annual Return/Report

• Registration form (86KB pdf) 
• Annual return form 2017 (213KB pdf)
• Annual return form 2018 (202KB pdf)
• Annual return form 2019 (207KB pdf)

Group Officers

• Co-Convener: Ruth Maguire
• Co-Convener: Rhoda Grant

Group Members

• Jeremy Balfour
• Annie Wells
• John Mason
• Joan McAlpine
• Johann Lamont

Non MSP Individuals

Chris Hall

Ann Hall

Catriona Laird

Ann Hayne

Gunilla Ekberg

Heather Russell

Trish Godman

Steve Rawbone

Marlyn Glen

Hannah Sanderson

Sally Trethewie

Susan Moffat

Billie Wealleans

Organisations

ACTS -Secretariat

Routes Out 

Scottish Women’s Convention

LGBT Youth Scotland

The Salvation Army

Graduate Women Scotland

FiLiA

Women’s Equality Party

The Free To Live Trust

Scotland North Soroptimists

Nordic Model Now

Scottish Women’s Aid

Scottish Women’s Convention

European Network of Migrant Women

International Justice Mission

Community Safety Glasgow

The TARA Service

Women’s Support Project

Scottish Trade Union Congress

Notbuyingit

Soroptimist international

Women for justice