Victory in lap dancing campaign – Object and Fawcett
On Friday 13th November 2009 the Policing and Crime Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament – marking the success of the campaign by OBJECT and the Fawcett Society to regulate lap dancing clubs as part of the sex industry, not the leisure industry.
Lap dancing clubs clearly have more in common with sex shops and sex cinemas than they do with a restaurants and bars. Clause 26 (formerly 27) of the Bill will allow local councils to apply more stringent regulations on lap dancing clubs to protect the rights of women in the clubs and to give local people the right to object to a lap dancing club opening in their midst.
Crucially, in the later stages of the Bill, the Government responded to widespread concerns felt across Parliament and backed by several prominent women’s and human rights organisations (*) that the optional nature of the new licensing regime would lead to a postcode lottery. In response to these concerns, a new statutory duty has been introduced requiring Local Authorities to consult locally if they have not adopted the new powers within a year. OBJECT and the Fawcett Society will continue to work with local authorities and local people to ensure that gender equality issues are at the heart of the licensing process and that communities are no longer powerless to resist the spread of commercialised sexism on their high streets.
Ceri Goddard, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society said, commented on the reforms to lap dancing club licensing:
“Today is a victory for common sense, and is the culmination of an astonishing 18 month campaign by equality campaigners, parliamentarians, local authorities and local residents – all of whom came together to question the unchecked growth of the lap dancing industry – which had doubled in size in just four years.
“Buying a cappuccino is clearly fundamentally different from buying a lap dance from a woman – yet until now the two practices have been licensed in exactly the same way. This legislation recognises that lap dancing clubs are part of the sex industry, and now women’s rights to equality, dignity and safety can be properly considered when licensing lap dancing clubs.”
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(*) The Equality and Human Rights Commission, Equality Now, OBJECT, The Fawcett Society, YWCA, Eaves, Rights of Women, Safe Exit Toynbee Hall, WOMANKIND Worldwide, White Ribbon Campaign, NUS Women’s Campaign.
