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Scottish
Update Issue 3 - The newsletter of the Christian Institute (Scotland)
A
tale of two cities: Glasgow shames Edinburgh as city chiefs take
differing lines on the 'sex industry'
By Rachel Woodward
There
is increasing pressure to publicly accept an 'anything-goes' view
of sexual behaviour. Lap dancing lounges, sex shops, prostitution,
free 'emergency contraception' for school children - our society
is facing more and more blatant attacks on Christian family values.
However, Glasgow and Edinburgh are responding to this pressure in
totally opposing ways. Edinburgh City Council's response seems to
be to 'go with the flow'.
For many years Edinburgh operated a legalised red light district
or 'prostitute zone'.(1)
The council's Tory group leader believes that 'saunas' "...have
a role to play in keeping the sex industry off the streets"(2).
A business consortium has announced plans to open a 'super-sauna'
in the city, aiming "...to bring the sex industry to the level
of a five-star hotel".(3)
Edinburgh currently has four lap dancing clubs and is considering
an application from American firm Spearmint Rhino for a 'high class'
lap-dancing 'sex multiplex'.(4)
This 'open' and 'tolerant' attitude to sex goes much further than
just the 'entertainment' industry. In June Lothian Health Board
stated that it may consider allowing the morning after pill to be
given out by school nurses (though the Executive has since blocked
the move).(5)
In contrast, on all of these fronts, the policy in Glasgow could
not be more different. When the morning after pill proposals were
reported, NHS Greater Glasgow were quick to reassure, "We do
not prescribe the morning-after pill in schools and have no plans
to do so."(6)
Glasgow council is also resisting the opening of lap dancing lounges
in the city. Spearmint Rhino had to withdraw plans to open two new
clubs in Glasgow after the council stated that "Our formal
position from now on is that lap dancing is not welcome in Glasgow".(7)
Working in conjunction with Strathclyde police they are "...enforcing
a 'zero tolerance' approach to the sex industry to help women get
out of prostitution".(8)
Glasgow city council has come under fire in the liberal press for
being 'prudish', 'priggish' and 'excessive'.(9)
However, Glasgow is standing firm and showing moral courage that
is sadly lacking in many other cities.
1
Evening Times, 24 August 2001
2 Evening News, 10 June 2002
3 The Scotsman, 14 June 2002
4 The Sunday Times, 9 June 2002; Evening
News, 10 June 2002; The Scotsman, 14 June 2002
5 Evening News, 26 June 2002
6 Evening Times, 26 June 2002
7 The Times, 8 June 2002; The Sunday Times,
9 June 2002
8 The Herald, 4 April 2002
9 The Scotsman, 10 June 2002
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