Sex buyer law would cause "compassionate shift" in Scotland's approach to prostitution - charities

Criminalising the purchase of sex would see a “compassionate shift” in Scotland’s approach to prostitution, aiding victims of exploitation, charities say.

Today, Alba MSP Ash Regan lodged her 'Unbuyable Bill' at Holyrood. This would make paying for sex an offence, remove criminalisation for those being sold in prostitution, and create a right to support for those in and exiting prostitution.

Supporters say the approach – known as the ‘Nordic Model’ as it was first introduced in Scandinavian countries – curbs criminal industries like human trafficking by making it harder to purchase sex, therefore driving down demand.

'Reframe the shame'

Speaking before the her Bill's formal introduction to the Scottish Parliament today, Ms Regan said:

“Prostitution is not a job like any other, as some lobby groups claim; it is a system of commercial sexual exploitation that targets the vulnerable, is driven by demand and is enabled by silence.

“Commodifying human beings has consequences – it’s time we reframe the shame. Today, I am proud to bring commercial sexual exploitation out of the shadows into a debate across Scotland, by formally lodging the Unbuyable Bill in Parliament.

“Unbuyable is the first key step in tackling attitudes that have shamefully normalised inequality of the sexes and underpinned the scourge of male violence against women.”

Backing from charities

The 'Unbuyable Bill' has been backed by three charities: Restore Glasgow, which campaigns against human trafficking and provides training to help people spot its signs; CARE for Scotland, which seeks policy solutions to issues including trafficking and sexual exploitation, and the Evangelical Alliance, which represents Christian churches across the country.

In a joint statement issued today, the charities say:

"This important legislation seeks to criminalise the purchase of sex, while decriminalising those who sell it, opening safer routes out of exploitation and towards restoration.

"As Christian organisations working to uphold human dignity and justice, we believe this bill represents a significant and compassionate shift in Scotland’s approach to prostitution. It recognises the lived reality of those trapped in commercial sexual exploitation - that they are not criminals, but people who have often been exploited, traumatised, and left with no other options.

"An estimated 98% of those involved in prostitution are there due to trafficking, coercion, poverty, addiction, or abuse. This is not freely chosen work - it is survival under pressure. By targeting the demand side, the Unbuyable Bill seeks to reduce harm and build a society where sexual exploitation is no longer tolerated.

"We support this legislation because it removes the stigma and criminalisation from those exploited, and places accountability where it belongs: on those who seek to buy access to someone’s body. This approach aligns with international models proven to reduce demand and increase exit opportunities for those caught in prostitution.

"The trauma experienced by those exploited through prostitution is both deep and lasting. Around 70% of women involved suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - a rate higher than among combat veterans. Many carry histories of childhood sexual abuse, time in care, homelessness, and addiction. Efforts to legalise or fully decriminalise prostitution have not made it safer; in fact, violence, coercion, and harm remain widespread even in countries where the purchase of sex is permitted by law.

"As Christian organisations, we believe that every person is created with inherent value and should never be treated as a commodity - people are made for purpose, not purchase. The Unbuyable Bill reflects a bold and hopeful vision: a Scotland where no one is for sale, and where real exit routes are available to all. We call on MSPs to support this legislation and to stand with those who long to be free."

ENDS

Notes for Editors

More information on the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill:

Alba MSP lodges Bill to criminalise the buying of sex in Scotland | STV News

To find out more about the charities cited above, visit:

The Restore Glasgow website.

The CARE for Scotland website.

The Evangelical Alliance website.

Contact Restore Glasgow: angela@restoreglasgow.org.uk

Contact CARE for Scotland: press@care.org.uk

Contact the Evangelical Alliance: c.ringland@eauk.org

Note on the Nordic Model:

A 2023 report on prostitution in the EU endorsed by the European Parliament, stressed the impact of prostitution “on gender equality and women’s rights”, and recognised that prostitution and trafficking for sexual exploitation exist because there is a demand for them.

It acknowledged that reducing demand is key to prevent and reduce human trafficking, and recommended that states make it "punishable as a criminal offence to solicit, accept or obtain a sexual act from a person in exchange for remuneration".

The report emphasised the “negative consequences of the decriminalisation of pimping and the purchase of sex, which, through the apparent societal normalisation of these activities, leads to an increase in the trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation and conceals the reality of coercion, manipulation, violence and exploitation in prostitution”.