The recent sentencing of Xiao Min, 38, Qin Huang, 31, and Guolei Huang, 35, for their involvement in sex-for-sale flats in Glasgow and Edinburgh has reignited debate on how to address the demand for paid sex. The trio, jailed for over 20 years collectively, trafficked women from East Asia into brothels across the UK, prompting calls for stricter laws against men who seek to pay for sex.
An investigation revealed that the trafficked women, forced into prostitution, endured "degrading" conditions, a sentiment echoed by Lady Justice Poole at the High Court in Glasgow. She condemned the exploitation, stating: “Brothel keeping and trafficking women for prostitution involves the deliberate degrading of fellow human beings. Prostitution is a dehumanising experience. Women are often deprived of their autonomy and valued merely as sources of profit.”
Louise Davies MBE, director of advocacy and policy at CARE, argues for a shift in Scotland’s approach. She advocates for the introduction of "sex buyer laws" similar to those in France, Sweden, Norway, and Northern Ireland, which target the men who pay for sex. According to Davies, such laws are essential to reduce the demand fueling human trafficking and prostitution: “To disincentivize prostitution and curb sexual exploitation, the courts must punish sex buyers. Men paying for sex with vulnerable women, including trafficked individuals, face no real consequences without the threat of criminal action.”
CARE for Scotland criticizes the Scottish Government for delays in addressing this issue, despite its acknowledgment of prostitution as a form of gender-based violence. The government has recently launched a national hub aimed at supporting women affected by commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) by linking them with local services such as housing, health, and social security. However, CARE claims this is insufficient without legislation targeting sex buyers.
A Scottish Government spokesperson emphasized the government's stance: “Any form of human trafficking and exploitation is unacceptable. Perpetrators must be prosecuted. Prostitution, a form of violence against women and girls, is wholly unacceptable. Our strategy to reduce demand for prostitution includes actions to help women safely exit commercial sexual exploitation. Future legislative considerations, including criminalizing the purchase of sex, will be informed by lessons from the strategy.