Rachael Adams

[p][b]Welcome to the homepage for CARE’s [i]not for sale [/i]campaign.[/b][/p][vmgvideo class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XM004_aNvPI?showinfo=0&rel=0&iv_load_policy=3"][/vmgvideo][p][br][/p][p]At CARE we believe that people were created for purpose not purchase.[/p][p]Since 2006 CARE has been working with Parliamentarians across the UK to advocate for better support for people who have been exploited through prostitution. [/p][p]Studies show that high numbers of women in prostitution have experienced coercion from a partner, pimp or relative and that incidents of violence are much higher than in the rest of society. [/p][p]Many of the people who find themselves in prostitution were abused as children, had difficult or traumatic childhoods, or suffered from some other vulnerabilities such as substance abuse, or were destitute or homeless, which led them onto this difficult path. The links between prostitution and organised crime are also well established.[/p][p]This campaign was set up to raise vital funds and awareness to continue our advocacy work calling on governments in Great Britain to follow Northern Ireland’s example and criminalise the purchase of sex.[/p][p]To tackle the harms of sexual exploitation it is imperative to reduce the demand for prostitution so that fewer people are at risk. The most effective way to do this is to make it a criminal offence to purchase sex.[/p][p]Introducing laws to criminalise the purchase of sex targets the inequality, harm and exploitation that is at the heart of prostitution. It also holds those who drive it - the buyers - responsible for their actions.[/p][p]Northern Ireland became the first part of the UK to criminalise the purchase of sex, setting out the policy in its Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act. We’ve seen successful prosecutions since the Act was introduced in 2015.[/p][p]Other countries that have adopted this approach are Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Canada, France, the Republic of Ireland and Israel. Evidence from Sweden shows that the law has been successful in driving down demand for paid sex, making the country a far more hostile place for traffickers.[/p][p][b]As part of this campaign, CARE’s Press Officer Rachael Adams will be running the London Marathon on 28 April to helps raise money to tackle this problem.[/b][/p][p][i]“I decided to invest the time and energy training and running the London Marathon to raise money for this campaign as it’s such an important cause. In my current work for CARE and previously for other NGOs I have seen first-hand that our laws on prostitution do not provide adequate safety or protection to women across Great Britain. [/i][/p][p][i]“Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that has taken the progressive step of making it illegal to buy sex and since the law was introduced we’ve seen successful prosecutions under the new offence. [/i][/p][p][i]“At CARE, we think women were created for purpose, not purchase. It’s time for the rest of the UK to follow Northern Ireland’s example.[/i][/p][p][i]“Great work is being done by organisations to support and care for women who have been exploited through prostitution, but if we don’t change the surrounding environment to help prevent women from being exploited then the cycle of abuse will continue unchecked.”[/i][/p][p][b]Join with us[/b][/p][p]We would love you to partner with us in this campaign. We have produced a short video which you can see above, perfect for sharing on social media, in small groups or events, which will help to explain why this change is needed. [/p][p]We would greatly value your prayer for the campaign, and if you are able to donate then you can do so securely on this page.[/p][p]We’ll be posting regular blog posts on the issue of prostitution and sexual exploitation from CARE’s policy experts and regional leaders on our CARE website. [url=https://www.care.org.uk/news/loose-chains]You can find them, and more information about our work on prostitution and modern slavery here.[/url][/p]