Prostitution in (and out of) policy on violence against women and girls in the UK

The extent to which prostitution is addressed in Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) policy in the UK varies by nation, region and local area. Current Westminster government policy frames prostitution in terms of associated harm and exploitation, not as harm and exploitation, in sharp contrast to Scotland and some local areas. This short article extends Liz Kelly's (1988) continuum of violence against women to prostitution, drawing on definitions of VAWG, research evidence on harms and conceptual links between men's abusive practices. For policy, this means a re-orientation towards specialist support for women, including to leave prostitution, and seeking to end demand. There are also opportunities for Westminster government policy to create consistency in VAWG prevention work and sexual exploitation of children through a more coherent analysis of gendered violations and violences. While the focus is on UK policy, the case for including prostitution in strategic approaches to VAWG will have wider resonance