“ive read most of the comments above. i am a kerb crawler, so ...speaking from expience, to be honest....i hate what i do...i know its illegal, i know the girls are vulnerable, i know where the money is spent. and i know the problems it causes for local residents. its easy to forget that ...although wrong, in many cases kerbcrawling and paying for sex is also an addiction for the person paying for it. im my instance it has really started to take its toll on my state of mind, not to mention my finances, i do have a consience and usually after i have seen one of these women for sex....i tell myself ...thats it. but then something is triggered and i go again. im ashamed of what im doing, but i have tried so hard to stop. i have looked for help, but cant find anything........and its not the sort of thing you can confide with family, or even friends. i have been stopped and warned by police. but theyre attitude was" just....go away and stop, or we will humiliate you". this does not work. in a way i was relieved when i was stopped, because i wanted to reach out to someone. but the police were not interested in why i was doing it....i know they are not social workers...but there is no information out there for someone doing what im doing......”

“I feel sorry for these girls.Most are on drugs.We live among many other fellow humans.Yet in a big city.Men can feel lonely and fustrated.sex is in every paper and mag yet we are more up tight about it.I my self have experience how hard going it is to communicate with the modern women.When the media reports about the relationship with man and woman in a proper way.then we might all understand each other.”

“Oh Shelly, how naive you are.

There may be a minority of women who are in the position you suggest but most do it because it is a relatively easy way of making money whilst still on benefit.

The police are now infested with the social services spirit. Instead of enforcing the criminal law by dealing with the pimps and toms, they now regard the latter as victims.

If there were no prostitutes on the streets there would be no kerb crawlers.

How much better it would be to have licensed brothels. The toms don't want it because they would be regulated and taxed. The pimps don't want it for obvious reasons.

The police could then concentrate on dealing with criminals instead of acting as quaisi social workers.”

“Sex workers are used, I agree with you Shelly. But there are what I call the Kerb Walkers too. The men walking along the streets looking for "business".

There are other ways for men to relieve themselves without using sex workers!”

“You lot should be ashamed of yourselves"

These woman are highly vulnerable. They do not choose this life they have it thrust upon them. Do you really think that they drive back to posh homes in their flashy sports cars? Perhaps you think they enjoy it. They Don't.
Why should the girls be charged and the men let off scot free? The men that prey on these women know exactly where the money goes they know exactly how these women live and they know exactly what will happen to the girls if they fail to make enough money for the pimps. In my book that makes them just as bad as the pimps. Oh then these lovely guys go back home to their wives and girlfriends.
Men that use prostitutes have absolutely no respect for women.

yes prostitution is illegal but the girls only fall foul of the law when a man gives them money. If men didn't use prostitutes there would be no offence committed. As for the drugs many of the girls were given drugs by 'well meaning' pimps who's concern was not to help them through a crisis but to get them to need drugs so badly that they would sell their bodies in order to get more and in the process make a tidy profit for their pimps.

Some of these girls are so out of it on drugs that it is dubious as to whether or not consent is actually given.

Anna I hope to god that you don't ever fall upon such hard times as these girls. Your lack of sympathy and understanding for other women is appalling Prostitutes do not possess some kind of magical power that make men helpless to their power. It is the men who hold all the power not the girls

I'm not trying to man-bash however it is all to easy to blame the prostitutes. Especially as the men that use them are often more capable of making a stand against prostitution than these girls.”

“What would St Paddy make of it all! Its the oldest profession and all that and still law has not been changed after so many requests and column inches to do so! Nimby culture again!”

“I have to pass Warwick Road everyday on my way to work. I regularly see sex workers first thing in the morning and on my way home in the evenings. There is also an old peoples residental home and a primary school on the same road!As a female walking around this area I feel intimdated by these "women", they always stare at you, as if your going to nick their trade! And I dress appropriately! Police presence is not visable often, although there are plenty of the half coppers, what can they actually do? The poster that has recently been placed is I must say, rather funny! It makes me chuckle everytime I pass it! It does make the point very clear. These young women are vulnerable and are being exploited! Legalise this industry and ensure that both sex workers and their clients are looked after and most of all pay TAX!”

“I agree with you M, Bristol. They are there on Fishponds Road and Stapleton Road, all times of the day and night.

Go and see for yourself C, Bristol. My kid does not go up Fishponds Road on his own either so shame on you for suggesting it.

Ask any parent of the school in question, off Fishponds Road, and see what reaction you get. :D”

“Great, so they will be stopping the druggies getting money from sex.
That means they will need to get the money some other way... crime pays well...
Prostitution will go down, crime (theft/robbery/muggings) will go up. These people will still need money to feed their habits.”

“The only way to stop the problem is to stop the drugs. No-one wants it on there doorstep fact!, but this is the oldest profession in the world, and it will go on regardless. Like someone else said, these Women are most likely already claiming all the benefits in the world, but due to drug dependencies need cash. If you stop them getting money this way they arn't going to stop and go get a job on a till at Morrisons they will most likely turn to harder crime to fund the drugs they need.”