Christian
charity welcomes review of prostitution law
Christian social concern charity CARE has cautiously welcomed proposals put forward
by the Government in a wide-ranging review of the law on prostitution.
The Paying the Price review, which was published today by Home Secretary
David Blunkett, recommends more assistance for individuals caught up in prostitution,
together with tougher penalties for those who seek to purchase sex.
Roger Smith, Head of Public Policy at CARE and
formerly a criminal prosecutor for the Metropolitan Police, said: "We welcome
this review as an opportunity for Government to help deal with what is a running
sore in many communities up and down the country. For too long, politicians have
been equivocal in their approach to prostitution.
"Many people will be aware of a local red light district and the huge variety
of problems that come with it: drug addiction, broken families, organised crime
- no go areas for law abiding people in the community.
"I have personally witnessed how broken lives have been damaged still further
by getting trapped in this cycle of abuse, deprivation and hopelessness. There
is no way in which prostitution should be 'tolerated' or even 'managed'; it is
deeply destructive."
Currently, prostitution itself isn't illegal. Instead, police rely on a variety
of other offences, including soliciting, kerb crawling and running a brothel.
Some experts believe that the effect of the law is to further bind women into
prostitution because the only way they can afford to pay continuing fines is
to go back on the streets.
Mr Smith added: "We all know that the law can't change lives. There is still
a job of work to be done by churches and Christian organisations in reaching
out to men and women caught in prostitution, offering them hope, comfort and
escape. What the Government can do is ensure that the law is not frustrating
efforts to help those who want to escape from prostitution."
Money
advice for school leavers
This week as thousands of teenagers leave school, figures from the UK's leading
debt charity show rising levels of debt in the under 20s over the last two
years.
Since 2002, the number of people aged 18 to 20 seeking help from the Consumer
Credit Counselling Service has increased tenfold, with a dramatic rise in the
average level of debt from £2,615 in the second quarter of 2002 to £8,090
in the first quarter of 2004.
Commenting on these figures, Keith Tondeur, director of money education charity,
Credit Action, urges parents to be more open about money matters and to be
prepared to discuss money with their children. He says: "Basic budgeting
skills are best learnt at home. It is never too soon to start giving your children
an allowance or pocket money - make it clear what this is expected to cover
and be prepared to be firm. Talk about money and make sure your children have
some basic understanding of different types of credit and what they cost.
"Don't nag and be upfront when you can't afford something. Acknowledge that
older children, especially school leavers, are unlikely to welcome your advice
but point them in the direction of some good publications or websites which will
help them with budgets."
To help parents, as well as others advising school leavers, including teachers
and employers, Credit Action has produced a guide specifically aimed at school
leavers, which offers a whole host of advice about money matters - everything
from student loans to credit protection insurance, explaining financial jargon
and offering practical help with budgeting.
The guide has been endorsed by Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Education,
who said: "An awareness of money management skills and competency in displaying
them have become priorities for today's school leavers. This booklet ensures
that school leavers are well-placed in making the most of their financial resources."
- Copies
of The money manual for school leavers are available
from Credit Action for £3 each (discounts for multiple
purchases). To order a copy contact 01522 699777 or go to www.creditaction.org.uk
250K
milestone for national charity
Since Care for the Family was launched in 1989, over a quarter of a million
people have attended the organisation's popular family-building events.
In
addition to this, Executive Director Rob Parsons, has spoken
to tens of thousands of people across the world, providing help
and encouragement for families. The 250K milestone marks 15 years
of the national charity's work which seeks to build and maintain
strong family life and help those who are hurting due to family
breakdown.
Care for the Family has quickly established a reputation for providing down-to-earth,
realistic help and advice on all aspects of family life and relationships.
The organisation has grown from a dedicated staff of two to more than 100,
with experts in many different fields including marriage, work life balance,
single parenting, counselling, step parenting, research, drug prevention and
bereavement. There are now regional offices in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Rob Parsons, author of the 'Sixty Minute' series of books on marriage and parenting
said: "When we started Care for the Family I never dreamed that 15 years
on we would be impacting so many lives in so many different ways. The knock-on
effect of 250,000 people attending our events means that potentially more than
a million people have been helped in some way by the resources we provide or
advice, information and encouragement given at our events. We are ever grateful
to God for his faithfulness in enabling us to do this work."
- For more information about Care for the Family or to request a free copy of the latest magazine call (029) 2081 0800 or write to Care for the Family, PO Box 488, Cardiff, CF15 7YY or alternatively visit the website www.careforthefamily.org.uk
©
Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.