Ms Denise Charlton:

We do not have exact figures, but the evaluation done in the Netherlands examined whether women felt safer and whether there were more positive outcomes for them. The answer was negative, so the legalisation model has not worked. Some of the research and evaluation from the Swedish model indicated women feel safer in the Swedish context than they did prior to the introduction of the legislation.

The one point that is clear, from all the research and from our work on the ground, is that we cannot segregate the industry. One cannot say we will have adult women here who choose to be in prostitution and keep them in one area. Pimps, traffickers and punters do not care. The reality is that wherever there is a sex trade, there will be child trafficking, exploitation of adult women and illegal prostitution. The Netherlands and New Zealand are prime examples of that.