Council to discuss how to deal with street sex workers

Options for addressing the issues caused by street-based sex workers will be considered at this week’s Council meeting.

Council staff have prepared a report for the meeting which sets out the non-regulatory and regulatory options that could be used to address the concerns some residents living in Manchester St have raised about the sex workers.

Before the earthquakes the sex workers worked mainly on Manchester St, south of Bealey Ave, but since the quakes they have also been working in the residential area of Manchester St, north of Bealey Ave.

That has led to ongoing complaints from residents who say they are tired of the noise, the litter, the offensive behaviour and the damage to their property.

The Council has been working with the residents, the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective and other social agencies on non-regulatory ways of addressing the problems, such as encouraging the sex workers to move back to the area south of Bealey Ave.

However, some residents want the Council to go further and look at regulatory options, such as a bylaw.

Staff will be seeking direction from the Mayor and Councillors as to whether they want a new bylaw that regulates the location of street-based sex workers or whether they want to continue trying non-regulatory approaches.

Read the full report.