Blinded by morality? Prostitution policy in the UK

This article reviews the content of and responses to the Home Office paper 'Paying the Price: A Consultation on Prostitution', published in July 2004. It suggests that the combination of a doctrine of anti-social behaviour, Victorian morality and a reliance on stereotypical images of women involved in prostitution ignores the complexities of the conditions of prostitution, the organisation of the sex industry, and any reference to a 'sex work' discourse that promotes labour rights and equal citizenship. An analysis of what is excluded from the consultation paper provides a forum in which to discuss the potential implications for the management of commercial sex.