Sex workers and Christchurch residents are both angry that the city's council has not been able to decide how to deal with street prostitution. A sex worker on Christchurch's Manchester Street. St Albans homeowners have been pushing for the council to move prostitutes back into the city , after the earthquakes forced them out of a known red light district and into their neighbourhood six years ago. Since then residents have told the council they have been abused, assaulted, and had their properties vandalised.
Giles Goulden moved his family from their Manchester Street home after he said his wife was assaulted by a sex worker. Residents say they have pleaded for the council to enforce their own public places bylaw or introduce new regulation. The council decided yesterday to delay a decision again , and to set up an inter-agency group to look at solutions.
The only councillor who was pushing to explore regulation, Aaron Keown, said the delay would not help sex workers. Its national co-ordinator, Catherine Healy, said she hoped the council would rule out regulation and instead look at options such as building infrastructure in areas sex workers could sell their services without disrupting residents. The council is expected to make a decision based off the findings of the working group in September.
Central Christchurch residents say they are under siege from sex workers, and one is threatening legal action if the city council does nothing. Residents in a Christchurch suburb are furious their city council has again delayed a decision about how to deal with street prostitution in the area. The Christchurch City Council could face legal action if it goes ahead with a bylaw designed to move sex workers out of residential areas.
New Zealand RSS. Follow RNZ News. Tags: business Canterbury Manchester Steet sex workers. Related Stories Sex worker strife: 'We've had vandalism, we've had break-ins' 18 Apr Council delays decision on sex workers again 25 May Sex workers could take legal action against Chch council 22 May When shaken baby syndrome verdict is unsafe. Get the RNZ app for ad-free news and current affairs.
