By Emily Caulkett-
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 Uk government is seeking views of victims, police and charities as part of a call for evidence launching today (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.
Ministers have put out a call for evidence, amid concerns that vulnerable renters are being exploited by landlords.
Landlords who engage in sex for rent can already be prosecuted under the current Sexual Offences Act, but the government is considering whether new laws or measures are needed to tackle the problem.
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*.