One of Tayside’s top police officers has warned of the ongoing misery being wreaked by on-street prostitution, following an investigation into the problem by The Courier.
Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Suttie was speaking after police information revealed that almost 200 individuals have been detected in connection with offences related to the illicit trade over the last three years.
It comes just a week after Mr Suttie spoke out against the problem of brothel keeping and underlined the plight of “desperate” women who may be brought to the area to work.
The latest figures show that between 2008 and 2010 police charged 76 people with soliciting the services of a prostitute.
A further 98 were caught after becoming involved in other offences related to prostitution.
Mr Suttie said that, while on-street prostitution was a Tayside-wide issue, it was especially pertinent in Dundee.
The Stobswell areaparticularly Arbroath Road and Broughty Ferry Roadare known to be hot spots.
Mr Suttie said, “On-street prostitution is a particular problem in Dundee and we often find that men from throughout Tayside travel to exploit these vulnerable women.
“Women resort to prostitution because of desperation. Although this is sometimes connected to drug addiction, this is not always the case.
“It may be that a woman is receiving threats of violence or perhaps they are funding the drug habit of a partner.
“Prostitution is a concern for everybody, as these women are victims and often very vulnerable.”
Mr Suttie reiterated his concern that women involved in the sex trade were frequently placing themselves at risk of extreme violence, including rape and sexual assault.
However, he said the force was working with agencies across the region, including the Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (WRASAC) in Dundee, in a bid to address the issues related to the problem.
Since 2009 WRASAC has been involved in the Vice Versa project, an initiative designed to address the issues of why women become involved in prostitution and to give them the necessary support to make positive changes in their lives.
Anyone with information regarding prostitution should call police on 0300 111 2222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.