Leeds’ managed sex work approach under review by Huddersfield University

By Greg Dawson
Experts at The University of Huddersfield are conducting an independent review of the legal managed approach to sex work in Leeds.
The university’s Applied Criminology and Policing centre will look into if allowing sex workers to operate freely between 8 pm to am within an area of Holbeck in Leeds is keeping residents and workers safe.
Safer Leeds Partnership, a combination of Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Police set up the Holbeck Managed Approach which would help protect sex workers in the Holbeck Area and deal with the effects of sex work on the community.
Leading the review is Professor Jason Roach, director of the university’s Applied Criminology and Policing Centre.
He said: “We will be looking at whether this managed approach has had any positive effect and finding out what people on the ground think. t will be a holistic, multi-faceted approach.”
He and his team will analyse crime data as well as conducting interviews and surveys in the Holbeck area which has around 2,500 residents.
They will also be interviewing sex workers from the area, helping them understand their experiencing with the zone as well as gathering focus groups with sex workers, members from the community, police and local businesses.