Day: April 22, 2023

Home Secretary considers new ‘sex for rent’ law

A public call for evidence has been launched to establish the scale of ‘sex for rent’ in the UK and ask if existing laws protect victims

A new law is being considered to crack down on predatory landlords exploiting vulnerable people for sex in return for free or discounted rent, the Home Secretary has announced.

The government is seeking views of victims, police and charities as part of a call for evidence launched yesterday (21 April) to better understand the scale and nature of the abhorrent ‘sex for rent’ exchange in the UK.

‘Sex for rent’ is an arrangement where landlords exchange accommodation for free or at a discount in return for sexual relations with their tenants.  This is already illegal under the Sexual Offences Act, and landlords can already be prosecuted for attempting to engage in sex for rent.

The call for evidence will look at whether these laws go far enough, or if new measures are needed to tackle the issue and better protect vulnerable people from harm.

Home Secretary, Suella Braverman said: “It’s wholly unacceptable that vulnerable people, and particularly young women, are being exploited in ‘sex for rent’ arrangements. This is an abuse of power which puts people in desperate situations and has no place in our country.

“The launch of this public call for evidence brings us closer to ending this deeply harmful trend and better protecting victims.

“And it is another example of how this government will not stop in our efforts to bring more sexual and domestic abusers to justice.”

According to research by polling company YouGov, carried out on behalf of the housing charity Shelter, nearly 1 in 50 women in England have been propositioned for ‘sex for rent’ in the last five years.

The call for evidence, which will last for 10 weeks, seeks to gain the views of those who have been directly engaged in a ‘sex for rent’ arrangement, whether they were deceived, coerced, or compelled into it.

Among the charities expected to provide their views is National Ugly Mugs (NUM), an organisation which works to end all violence towards sex workers.

They work with numerous victims of ‘sex for rent’ abuse such as Alina*.

Case study

Alina* was struggling financially during the pandemic and was approached online by her landlord. He suggested a rental arrangement where she would provide sex and intimate photos in exchange for a reduction in her rent and utility bills.

At the time Alina wasn’t making enough money to find an alternative place to live, so she agreed. Her exploitative landlord often arrives at the property drunk and unannounced, expecting to have sex with her. He often refuses to leave and she is under constant threat of eviction and homelessness if she does not comply with his requests whenever he wants.

*This modified case study is based on a sex worker’s lived experiences as reported to the NUM research team. Personal details have been changed.

Safeguarding Minister, Sarah Dines said: “While advances in technology have brought us closer to family and friends, they can also make it easier for perpetrators to prey on vulnerable individuals, including through so-called ‘sex for rent’ arrangements.

“Our pioneering Online Safety Bill will ensure social media companies take greater action in order to protect their users – but we must continue to expand our understanding of these harmful practices and what more can be done to protect those who need it.”

Dr Raven Bowen, CEO of NUM said: “We welcome the ‘sex for rent’ call for evidence. As an organisation dedicated to supporting sex workers we have seen first hand the damage that this exploitative behaviour can have, especially on young women and mothers.

“We support action that will clamp down on predatory landlords and we hope that this is accompanied by wider action to combat the fundamental issue of poverty and unaffordable housing that make people vulnerable to this abuse.”

Deputy Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Prostitution and Sex Working, said: “This call for evidence is a welcome opportunity to hear from victims and stakeholders on the reality facing women. With many struggling to pay rent, they become vulnerable to predatory landlords, and it is vital we put an end to this.

“Violence against women and girls in all its forms is abhorrent. Policing is going after the violent and abusive men who commit these crimes. This call for evidence offers a first step towards helping vulnerable victims of this behaviour, please come forward.

“If you are ever in danger, please call 999, you will be listened to and taken seriously.”

Dan Wilson Craw, Deputy Director of Generation Rent said: “This call for evidence is vital. Research conducted by Generation Rent and Mumsnet estimates that over 200,000 women could be victims of ‘Sex for Rent’ in the United Kingdom.

“Four per cent of all respondents indicated that they had been offered free or discounted rent in return for sexual favours, with this rising to a shocking 1 in 10 respondents with a household income below £20,000.

“We know the vast majority of landlords abide by the law: seeking permission to enter and respecting their tenants’ privacy. However, given the unparalleled access landlords have to tenants’ personal spaces and lives, and the scale of the issue, this consultation is necessary in ensuring that everyone, especially the most vulnerable among us, has access to a safe and secure home, free from harassment and exploitation.”

Tackling sexual exploitation and violence against women and girls is a UK Government priority.

In July 2021 they published their new cross-government Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy to help ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere – at home, online, at work and on the streets.

The world-leading Online Safety Bill means that social media platforms will have to proactively tackle illegal content such as use of their sites to coerce and control women for sex. If they fail in these duties, they will be made to pay huge fines up to billions of pounds.

The Home Office is also working closely with Women’s Aid to provide £300,000 for one-off payments of £250 to victims of domestic abuse, rising to £500 where a victim is pregnant or has children.

The funding has been granted to support victims to leave abusive relationships, and will help victims to pay for essentials such as groceries, nappies, sanitary products and rent on their previous property whilst they are in a refuge, or it could be put towards a deposit on new accommodation when they leave a refuge.

Join Edinburgh Science on the new BUY LOCAL ACT GLOBAL coffee trail

Edinburgh Science charity, known for its climate work and producing the annual Science Festival, presents a new Buy Local Act Global Coffee Trail in Edinburgh.

This is the second of this kind of trail that the Edinburgh Science team has presented, following the success of the Toast to Gaia drinks trail which has won several awards, including the Regional and National Working Together for Tourism Scottish Thistle Award by Visit Scotland.  

Over 95 million cups of coffee are consumed daily in the UK with many bought from independent coffee shops. However, the coffee industry is experiencing increasing challenges caused by climate change, ranging from the production of coffee beans to supply chain disruptions caused by extreme weather events.

Through the Buy Local Act Global campaign, Edinburgh Science hopes to demonstrate the powerful impact that supporting everyday businesses can have, not just locally, but globally.  

Featuring 6 independent Edinburgh-based coffee shops and roasters, the Buy Local Act Global trail is the key component of an environmental campaign aiming to both shed light on the impact of climate change on the coffee industry and highlight the ways in which Edinburgh businesses – and especially small to medium size enterprises (SMEs) – are taking climate-conscious actions to build resilience.  

The 6 independent Edinburgh-based coffee shops and roasters participating in the campaign are: 

Coffee enthusiasts can pick up a card in any participating venue, the card links to the Buy Local Act Global website. The website details the actions that businesses are taking and the local and global impact of these as well as actions that they can take themselves.  

The campaign is associated with The NetZeroToolkit – a free online resource by Edinburgh Science that supports organisations of any size, but particularly micro businesses and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) to build carbon management strategies. 

Many coffee shops on the trail have signed up to and are using The NetZeroToolkit and visitors to the trail are encouraged to share this resource with their own businesses or SMEs that they use to get more Edinburgh SMEs building effective carbon reduction strategies.  

Emily Stone, Climate and Sustainability Business Development Manager at Edinburgh Science said: “Small-to-medium size enterprises – or SMEs make up a massive 99% of the UK business community, their contribution is vital if we are to meet our ambitious – and necessary –net zero targets.

“The good news is that there are many SMEs, such as these, working incredibly hard on making climate conscious and sustainable decisions even in areas that are being badly affected by the impact of climate change such as the coffee industry.

“Any business, from any sector can – and should – sign up to The NetZeroToolkit today, for free. At Edinburgh Science we believe that if we work together now; we can build a better future for everyone.”  

A representative from the Machina coffee shop said: “The impact of climate change is being felt throughout the coffee industry – from the producers themselves, through the supply chain and right to our own shops in Edinburgh.

“Taking climate-conscious and sustainable actions has long been a priority for Machina and so we’re delighted to appear on this project, highlighting both our own actions and those of our colleagues across the city.

“As small businesses we all have a responsibility to act now so that we can build an Edinburgh coffee scene for the future.” 

A spokesperson from Williams and Johnson coffee shop said: “At Williams and Johnson, we’re proud to be a part of the Buy Local Act Global campaign. Our ethos isn’t just great coffee – it’s great coffee and contributing to a better future for our planet and people.

“ It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that our efforts can make a difference and we’re excited to continue our work towards a more sustainable future as well as inspire others to join us in this crucial mission.” 

Scotland sends emergency relief to Malawi

Funding to provide food, shelter and healthcare in wake of Tropical Cyclone Freddy

Two charities will each receive £200,000 from the Scottish Government for emergency relief projects in Malawi, after the country was hit by severe flooding following a record-breaking cyclone in March.

More than 500 people were killed and over 500,000 displaced as a result of Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which struck even as Malawi was dealing with the deadliest cholera outbreak in the country’s recorded history.

The funds being given to Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) and Save the Children International will be used to provide food, shelter and improved access to water, sanitation and healthcare for those affected by the cyclone.

International Development Minister Christina McKelvie said: “The loss of life and the substantial damage to thousands of people’s homes and livelihoods in Malawi is devastating particularly at a time when the country is facing a severe cholera outbreak. 

“Scotland has a longstanding relationship with Malawi and our ability to fund this humanitarian response is a good example of the role and importance of the Scottish Government’s strong international relationships.”

Head of Save the Children Scotland Claire Telfer said: “This support from the Scottish Government will make a big difference to the children and families we work with in Malawi, as they come to terms with the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy and try to piece their lives back together. 

“With more than 100,000 households in Malawi displaced by the cyclone, there’s a critical need for food, water and sanitation facilities, which our teams are working to provide. Children are also at risk of water-borne disease, particularly as Malawi was already experiencing a serious cholera outbreak. 

“Save the Children will use these funds to support thousands of families displaced by the cyclone through cash transfers, nutritional support targeted at pregnant women and new mothers, and water, sanitation and hygiene support in the areas worst affected.” 

Chief Executive of SCIAF Alistair Dutton said: “Once again the Scottish Government has stepped up and responded at a time of need for the people of Malawi. 

“On a visit in January, we could see the difference made by previous funding from the Scottish Government in response to Storm Ana and Cyclone Gombe which struck in 2022. Working through our partners, the funds were used to help communities prepare and protect themselves against further weather events. This included flood defences such as dykes and channels. Just weeks later Cyclone Freddy struck, testing these defences to the limit.

“This latest cyclone brought devastation to much of southern Malawi in March and we are very grateful for this further funding which will be used to relieve some of the suffering the cyclone caused. Access to water, sanitation and health services as well as food and shelter are our priorities as we work with our partners in the wake of this catastrophe.”

The £400,000 in support for Malawi was awarded through the Humanitarian Emergency Panel from the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund.

The funding was announced on 23 March by the then First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, in a letter to President Chakwera conveying expressions of condolences for the tragic loss of life.

In January 2023 the Scottish Government provided £236,137 to the Malawi Government through its partnership with UNICEF Malawi in response to the cholera crisis.

Brush up your study skills at West PIlton Neighbourhood Centre

SHORT COURSE FOR ADULTS STARTS 4rh MAY

The city council’s local Life Long Learning team are offering a new training course for people who would like to go back to learning.

Brush up on Digital Skills and improve your writing skills. This and more to prepare for future learning.

The course runs at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre from May 4th.

Contact Melinda to book or for more info on 0131 552 5700 or email melinda.peto@ea.edin.sch.uk

New measures to ‘Stop the Boats’ in Illegal Immigration Bill

Reforms will ‘speed up the removal of people with no right to be here and enhance safeguards to protect unaccompanied children’

THE UK government has tabled a number of amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill to strengthen it further, ahead of it returning to Parliament next week – helping to deliver our priority of ‘stopping the boats’.

The amendments tabled this week will help to speed up the removal of people with no right to be here and enhance safeguards for unaccompanied children who cross the Channel in small boats.

Amendments also include a commitment to consult local authorities within three months of the bill becoming law to understand their capacity to support people coming to the UK through safe and legal routes, and to publish a report on existing, and any proposed additional safe and legal routes, within six months of the bill becoming law.

Together these will provide greater clarity and ensure progress on delivering our plans for safe and legal routes with an annual cap, agreed by Parliament, to ensure we are properly supporting people to rebuild their lives in the way communities would expect.

The UK will continue to play a world-leading role in protecting those in need who come to the country illegally. However, to tackle the abuse of the system which detracts from our ability to help those in need, further amendments are being made to ensure the UK can better protect its borders.

To speed up removals, amendments will make clear that the UK’s domestic courts cannot apply any interim measure to stop someone being removed if they bring forward a legal challenge, aside from in the narrow route available under the bill where they are at risk of serious and irreversible harm.

Instead, challenges would be heard remotely after the person concerned had been removed. This will ensure that someone would only be able to apply for a domestic injunction to prevent their removal if they were to face “serious and irreversible harm” in the country they were due to be removed to.

Amendments will also make clear that ministers may exercise discretion in relation to interim measures issued by the European Court of Human Rights, and set certain principles under which they would make a decision whether to comply or not.

Alongside the amendment, the government is having constructive discussions regarding reform to the Rule 39 process in Strasbourg, to support greater timeliness, accountability and representation in such cases.

Further amendments include:

  • giving immigration officers new powers to search for and seize electronic devices like mobile phones from people who come to the UK illegally – to help them assess whether someone has the right to be in the UK
  • increasing protections around the safeguarding risk caused by adults pretending to be children, by bringing in new regulations that will see age-disputed people treated as an adult if they refuse to undergo a scientific age assessment.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “The British public are rightly fed up with people coming to the UK through dangerous small boat crossings, and myself and the Prime Minister are absolutely committed to stopping the boats once and for all.

“The changes I am announcing today will help secure our borders and make it easier for us to remove people by preventing them from making last minute, bogus claims, while ensuring we strengthen our safe and legal routes.

“My focus remains on ensuring this landmark piece of legislation does what it is intended to do, and we now must work to pass it through Parliament as soon as possible so we can stop the boats.”

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said: “It is not fair that people can pay criminal gangs thousands of pounds and pass through multiple safe countries to come to the UK illegally.

“The only way to break the business model of the evil people smugglers and secure our borders is to make sure that if people come to the UK illegally, they won’t be able to stay.

“These amendments will make it easier to swiftly remove individuals who come here illegally from safe countries, whilst re-affirming our commitment to help those directly from regions of conflict and instability.”

These new powers are part of further amendments tabled by the government yesterday to strengthen the ‘landmark’ Illegal Migration Bill, which will see people who come to the UK illegally in scope for detention and swift removal.

The amendments relating to safe and legal routes were laid by Tim Loughton MP, and measures to prevent UK courts from interfering to stop a removal were laid by Danny Kruger MP – the government will support these measures when the bill goes back to the House of Commons for report stage next week. The remaining measures have been tabled by the government.

The amendments can be found on the Parliamentary website: Illegal Migration Bill publications – Parliamentary Bills – UK Parliament

Pilton Youth & Children’s Project: New programme starts next week

✨ New Term Programme ✨

Our new term starts next week! Clubs are back on as normal and we’re excited to see all our children and young people every week until Summer!!

If you are new to us, please pop in for a consent form and make sure it’s signed by your legal guardian!

#YouthWorkMatters

#YouthWorkWorks

The impact of the UK’s exit from the European Union to be debated by MPs

On Monday 24 April, MPs will debate a petition relating to the impact of the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Martyn Day MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, has been asked by the Committee to open the debate. MPs from all parties can take part, and the Government will send a minister to respond.

We call upon the Government to hold a Public Inquiry into the impact of Brexit

The petition, which has more than 137,000 signatures, states: “The benefits that were promised if the UK exited the European Union have not been delivered, so we call upon the Government to hold a Public Inquiry to assess the impact that Brexit has had on this country and its citizens.”

In its response to the petition, provided on 5 December 2022, the Government said: “The UK’s departure from the EU was a democratic choice and the UK-EU institutions are functioning as intended. The Government does not believe this to be an appropriate subject for a public inquiry.”

What are petitions debates?

Petitions debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to Government Ministers.

Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means MPs will not vote on whether to hold a public inquiry into the impact of the UK’s exit from the European Union.  

Petition debates are scheduled by the Petitions Committee. Only e-petitions started on the parliament petitions site are considered by the Petitions Committee.

Spreading Positivi-tea! Care home hosts Tea Dance on National Tea Day

Strachan House care home in Blackall celebrated in style, by brewing up a wonderful afternoon for National Tea Day yesterday with a Community Tea Dance afternoon.

Supplied with a tasty selection of biscuits, sandwiches, cakes, and of course, teas for the event, residents and their families of Strachan House had an amazing afternoon together. 

Gordon Philp, General Manager at Strachan House said: “In these unprecedented times with the cost of living, providing a range of community events for our local community and their families is more important than ever.

“Our residents really enjoyed the choice of teas, cakes and events for National Tea Day, and as a nation who truly loves their tea, it was great excuse for an afternoon brew and a natter”. 

May Lesueur, a wife of a resident at Strachan House said: “It was a lovely afternoon, and I love a cup of tea so it was a wonderful combination to end the week on.

“And it was lovely for the families and staff join in too. They always take such good care of us.”

 Strachan House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides 83 beds for nursing care, residential care, and respite care.

£15 million mental health funding

Community support for third year of fund to help more projects

Projects to support mental health and address social isolation and loneliness in adults will share a further £15 million this year.

The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults, launched in 2021, has now provided around 3,300 grants to community organisations delivering mental health and wellbeing support, bringing total investment to £51 million.  

Activities will target older people, areas of economic deprivation, people with  long term health conditions or disability and LGBTI communities. The Fund has also had a particular focus on responding to the cost of living crisis, which remains a priority this year.

Improved mental health and wellbeing support is one of the commitments in the Scottish Government’s Policy Prospectus, which outlines firm actions to be achieved by 2026.

Health Secretary Michael Matheson visited Pause and Breathe, a social enterprise, in High Bonnybridge yesterday (Friday 21 April) where he announced the additional funding. 

He said: “This investment reflects the importance we place on promoting good mental health and early intervention for those facing mental health challenges –  ensuring that people can access a range of different types of help to match their needs.

“The Fund will continue to support a range of valuable community mental health and wellbeing projects, reflecting one of the priorities set out by the First Minister earlier this week.”

Pause and Breathe was awarded £10,000 from last year’s fund to offer a variety of wellbeing sessions and activities. Work is underway to change a building that has lain unused in High Bonnybridge for 20 years.

Managing Director Susie Hooper said: “This funding will enable us to hold free weekly wellbeing sessions throughout the whole year and means we can support people who wouldn’t otherwise attend due to financial constraints.”

Abortion Rights Scotland – supporting safe, legal, NHS abortion services

Saturday 22nd April Edinburgh 11am-1pm

THIS MORNING (Saturday), Abortion Rights Scotland is celebrating the fifty-fifth anniversary of the date the 1967 Abortion Act became law in England, Scotland, and Wales, from eleven am to 1pm on Lothian Road Edinburgh – Usher Hall side – because on the other side of the road, SPUC (the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child) are holding their protest against access safe, legal, local abortion, provided and delivered by the NHS. 

The SPUC protest against safe legal abortion and the feminist celebration of the Abortion Act, are both now in their tenth year – two years missed because of lockdown.

Audrey Brown, retired NHS abortion care consultant, says: “NHS Scotland has long supported women to make their own choices about pregnancy.

 “Abortion care is extremely safe, and in fact is safer than continuing a pregnancy. NHS doctors, nurses and midwives working in abortion care are trained to provide a safe and supportive service.

“The majority of women now choose early medical abortion in the privacy of their own home. Restricting access to abortion won’t stop abortion, it will push it underground and make it less safe. We must continue to support free, safe and legal NHS abortion care.”

The counter-vigil against the anti-abortion protest, is both in support of the continuing right to safe, legal, local abortion in Scotland, provided and delivered by the NHS, but also standing with people in countries like Poland and the United States, where the anti-abortion movement has achieved its goal of denying free access to safe legal abortion.

SPUC’s frequent assertion is that they want to make this essential reproductive healthcare “unthinkable” – and most people in Scotland oppose that goal.

SPUC has organised a ‘Pro Life Chain’ event from 11am – 1pm

Organisers say: ‘Remember the lives hurt and lost through abortion by attending SPUC’s 2023 Pro-Life Chain. This peaceful act of witness spreads the message that abortion kills unborn children and hurts women and families.’