UK Govt jumps on the pimping bandwagon

[stormy]

For some time the UK-government agency JobCentrePlus (referred to by radfems as PimpCentrePlus) have been offering 'jobs' in the sex industry. Most of it was lap dancing (with lures of £500pw! and forgetting to mention the fee the performers must pay to the house, the fact that they are regarded as self employed, etc). Supposedly, the PimpCentrePlus reckon they have 'safeguards' in place, only offering these jobs to the over-18s (although I do ponder how many males get to be offered all this 'sex industry work'). So it comes out that a 17yo was offered not one, but three jobs in the sex industry.

From Women's Weekly News:

Wembley: 17-year-old offered jobs in sex industry by Jobcentre Plus

A 17-year-old girl was offered three different vacancies in the sex industry when looking for work in her local Jobcentre Plus last week, despite claims from Jobcentre Plus and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that there are safeguards in place to protect under-18s from such positions.

The 17-year-old was “very distressed” after being shown vacancies for webcam strippers, strip-club hostesses and nude models by a job-search service in Wembley’s Jobcentre Plus, proving that the “effective safeguards” protecting under-18s and vulnerable women from positions in the sex industry, which are continually wheeled out by the Government and Jobcentre Plus, are anything but effective.

In addition to the existing safeguards, which include writing a line on the vacancy stating that the position is unsuitable for people under the age of 18, and discussing vacancies in the sex industry “only with people who enquire about them or have previously been employed within the industry”, former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Peter Hain announced in December that employers in the sex industry will have to sign a statement saying that the position does not involve any illegal sexual services and that Jobcentre Plus will call the employer 48 hours after the position has been filled to make sure that no “additional duties” have been added.

Several women’s organisations, including Eaves, have condemned the DWP for advertising vacancies for escorts, lapdancers and, most recently, webcam strippers, (see WWN 199) and call on the Government to stop advertising positions in the sex industry. Eaves’ chief executive Denise Marshall said: “Jobs in the sex industry are exploitative and damaging and it is unacceptable for a Government agency to be offering them. [It] is even more shocking that these vacancies are being offered to 17-year-olds. There is clearly no system for monitoring the age of jobseekers or for blocking vacancies in the sex industry to under-18s. Who knows how many other underage girls have been offered similar vacancies?”

If you would like to express your concern about these advertisements please write to Secretary of State for Work & Pensions James Purnell and MP for Brent North Barry Gardiner (details below). Please also email us at lilith @ eaveshousing.co.uk so that we can keep track of the complaints and campaign against these advertisements more effectively.

An additional article here:
wbtimes.co.uk/search/story.aspx?brand=WBCOnline&category=News&itemid=WeED20%20Mar%202008%2015:48:35:917&tBrand=WBCOnline&tCategory=search

[bluecoat28]

So is this an internet based job search site, like monster dot com, or is this like a job agency with in an actual building?

[annared]

It is the UK government. Job Centre Plus is the now amalgamated Dept. of Social Security benefits and unemployment agency. It is compulsory when unemployed to 'sign on' every two weeks with a personal advisor or you do not get any unemployment benefits. They will also go through their Labour Market database that offers up ‘suitable’ work as part of the interview. This means that these jobs are on their database.

[Lost Clown]

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

[stormy]

Let's just reiterate those 'safeguards':

Not offered to 'people' under the age of 18
Only offered to 'people' who enquire about them
Only offered to 'people' who have previously been employed within the industry

Zero for three. Excellent.
Of course, 'people' would be only those of the female variety. I'm *sure* they pimp out the males with the same amount of gusto. "Hey mate, fancing getting your kit off for some empowerfulnessism?"

[MaggieH]

For some time the UK-government agency JobCentrePlus (referred to by radfems as PimpCentrePlus) have been offering 'jobs' in the sex industry.

Assholes!

[stormy]

HMGov's focus has always been 'reducing the number of people on benefits'. They do this in a variety of ways, including making it near impossible for geniune people to get Disability Living Allowance. Pimping out females is their way of getting them off the 'unemployed' stats.

It all started with a 'thin edge of the wedge' strategy, when the Ann Summers retail store chain, which sold sex toys and underwear, was allowed to advertise at JobCentres. Basically, these are shops, even though some people may have objection to working within them, but they are regulated like other businesses and shops. The rest of the 'sex industry' however, is NOT. Most of these pole dancing (lap dancing, strip) clubs do NOT pay the women a wage, or a guaranteed wage, and in many cases have to pay the 'house' to work there, and survival is on tips. This leads to a dog-eat-dog work environment for the 'performers' who have to 'push the envelope' in order to drive up their tips for survival. Grace has a recent post: http://graceneedshelp.wordpress.com/200 ... -to-break/

And as many of these 'establishments' are run by 'sex industry entrepreneurs' (i.e. pimps with multi-disciplinary 'business interests'), it is not unusual for (young) women to end up in prostitution. In fact, there is a lot of 'turn a blind eye' prostitution that takes place from the clubs, if not within the actual clubs themselves.

See also the 2004 report written for the Glasgow City Council:
http://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/do ... ploits.pdf

[polly]

If you want to complain write to

ann.jepson@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk

[stormy]

Thx for the email addy polly.

[polly]

Also they are claiming that this does not breach the gender equality duty (which jobcentre have to follow as a government department. As however these vacancies are only being offered to women I would beg to differ. So I'd mention that as well.

[resisterance]

"Only offered to 'people' who have previously been employed within the industry"

So does that mean once a person openly says they have had previous employment in the industry, they are no longer allowed to turn such work down? Because thats how dole usually works - they match you up to a list of stuff that you are qualified to do either through certification or experience, and if theyre feeling particularly naggy they book you into an interview then and there - although mostly they send you home with a phone number and an application form. But they do spot checks to make sure youre sending in your applications - and if you have an interview they often check to make sure you went.

What this means is that if you have done a certain type of work before and there are vacancies to be filled, they push you towards that, and if you dont try hard enough they can cut off your benefit - also youre not allowed to say no, or they will cut off your benefit. The government cant claim that theyre trying to enable 'sex workers' to leave the industry if theyre just going to force them back in via the jobcentre.

[stormy]

Exactly resisterance.

For example, a YW could have left the 'industry' due to all the groping and other unpleasantries, but will essentially be forced back into the 'industry'.

Once a female is tagged as 'the sex class', it is difficult for her to leave. And now the HMGov is into pimping too...

[delphyne]

It also gives male job centre workers the opportunity to sexually harass female clients. Can you imagine the cheap thrill some spotty twenty-something would get offering a web-cam job to a seventeen year old girl? It would probably be the highlight of his week. Vile.

[annared]

It also gives male job centre workers the opportunity to sexually harass female clients. Can you imagine the cheap thrill some spotty twenty-something would get offering a web-cam job to a seventeen year old girl? It would probably be the highlight of his week. Vile.

That was one of the FIRST things I thought of. Could enable a big power thing going on too, especially when the JCP is so freaking patriarchal anyway.

[polly]

Yup I remember signing on once and getting some arsehole male interviewing me. He was so bad I complained and demanded someone else but not everyone (particularly not a 17 year old) is going to be able to do that...

What annoys me is that this has been in the press nationally, on Channel 4 news, Anne Widdecombe has complained about it for Gawd's sake, and still central government does nothing. It would need a legal challenge by a job seeker to establish if it does breach the GED, but I'm sure it must do.