Latest strike in battle against kerb-crawlers
Released: 2 October 2007
New giant posters have gone up at locations across Wolverhampton in the latest strike of the city’s battle against kerb-crawlers.
The posters, which feature plain white text on a red and black background, simply say: “Want to get your name in the paper? Try kerb-crawling.”
The aim of the campaign is to remind those who continue to come to the city to pay for sex that there is a very real risk they will be arrested, prosecuted and then face public humiliation when their court case hits the headlines.
Dr Adrian Phillips, Director of Public Health for Wolverhampton and Chair of the city’s Prostitution Task Group, said: “Kerb-crawlers are a real blight on our city – they cause misery for communities and tarnish our reputation. We will not tolerate kerb-crawling in Wolverhampton. The message from the city is very clear – get out and stay out”.
Chief Superintendent Neil Gould, head of policing in the east of Wolverhampton, reinforced the message, saying: "West Midlands Police is absolutely opposed to the sexual exploitation of Wolverhampton's women and children.
“To protect the already decreasing number of women who are being exploited through paid sex, we will be targeting those men who actively encourage prostitution.
"This campaign reminds kerb crawlers of the possible humiliating consequences their abusive actions may have on their personal lives", he added.
The latest campaign posters have gone up on seven billboards in the areas most affected by the vice trade and on the back panels of 30 buses operating across the city.
The new posters have been designed by Wolverhampton City Council’s corporate communications team. Posters featured earlier in the campaign recently won industry design awards.
The anti-kerb crawling campaign is an initiative of the Wolverhampton Prostitution Task Group – a partnership between local people, the council, Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust, West Midlands Police, the ABCD regeneration scheme and other agencies.
The campaign was launched in February 2006 and is widely regarded as a big success. Both residents and the police have reported a big drop in the amount of kerb-crawlers in the area and as a result women working on the streets. Police figures show that there has been a 44 per cent drop in kerb-crawling over the past year.
Issued by the press office.