Should brothels be legalised in the UK?

@Tuscan Thats true

@Tuscan don't think brothels are legal.

@SW-User if they are owned by the prostitutes who work there the brothel is legal. If someone else owned the property and rented it out to sex workers to use as a brothel that would be a criminal offence (committed by the owner of the building).

@SW-User On a side note I used to have a pub which wasn't making much money. My wife suggested we turn it into a brothel, but I said if we can't make money selling beer how can we make a profit selling soup.

@Tuscan soliciting???

@Tuscan I'm not a criminal lawyer, but owning or managing a brothel irrespective of being self owned and managed by essentially a co-operative scheme of prostitutes is illegal. But I could be wrong, it doesn't matter, does it? If you want a prostitute you can book em online or go to Craig's list. I think the law and people in general don't care as long as its not seen in public.

@SW-User yeah im not sure either really because it's such a grey area in whether it's legal or not 🤔. We got a few in town but they do get shut down just because their renting the place out as a brothel if that makes sense

@Silentangel Soliciting, is the offence committed if a prostitute offers someone sexual favours for money, which is what prostitutes are normally charged with. there is also a similar of offence of "importuning" which is what someone would be charged with if they asked for sexual favours in return for money which is what "kerb crawlers are usually charged with. For some reason about which I am not totally clear most male prostitutes get charged with importuning whilst female prostitutes are charged with soliciting.

@Tuscan mmm yeah very strange I think it's because with women they can make themselves more alluring etc no offense to men but we can change our voice to sound sexier etc while men struggle on that part which is interesting I think

@Silentangel @SW-User There are an awful lot of grey areas in English Law which is why we have courts, Barristers trawl through past precedents in law and apply them to each particular case the judge then decides which is the stronger argument. Renting places out to be used as brothels is illegal, but that is due to the landlord and tenant act rather than any legislation specifically about prostitution.

@Tuscan mm true in just finding it confusing really 🤔 it's such a grey area in that it's almost looking like it's illegal but not at the same time it's quite a big mixed message really

@Silentangel that's why barristers get the big bucks

@Tuscan yeah so basically if I bought a house to use a brothel (not rent) under my own name that would be legal then? (Just using it as an example in not a working girl haha)

Yes using the house would be legal but most methods of advertising your services would be illegal, if you rented out rooms to other girls to use that would break a couple of laws as would employing them or taking a cut of their earnings. The red light at the front to inform potential customers that the house is a brothel is legal and provided you didn't discuss terms anywhere off the premises I believe you would be not breaking any laws.

@Tuscan red light?? Oh yes I know what you mean lol