The City of Edinburgh Council secured funding from the Scottish Government earlier this year to support action on key themes surrounding street prostitution.  This funding has been allocated through the Edinburgh Community Safety Partnership to support initiatives in 2008/09. 

Applications for one-off grants of up to £55,000 were sought from new and innovative projects which focus on one of the themes of: routes out of prostitution and education and prevention work.

The decision on which projects will receive funding was taken by a multi agency panel, which includes representatives from the City of Edinburgh Council, Lothian and Borders Police and Edinburgh and Lothians Racial Equality Council, NHS Lothian and Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service.

SCOT-PEP is one of the agencies to receive funding which will go towards developing joined up services to enable women to access support services addressing their individual needs and enabling them to move on from street prostitution.

Other recipients included the Women's Education and support programme which is a joint NHS Health Promotion Department/ Apex Employability Agency and Sacro Throughcare initiative to help women involved in street prostitution by addressing physical and mental health needs, developing their social and life skills and creating paths into employment and education.

Streetwork Women's Service will also receive funding which will be used to set up an outreach team and to provide free and confidential support to both women involved in street prostitution and those at risk of becoming involved.

Ongoing monitoring will take place and an ultimate evaluation of the success of this funding will  follow the completion of each project.

Councillor Paul Edie, Chair of the Edinburgh Community Safety Partnership said, "This funding is going to projects that will provide education and support for women seeking a route out of street prostitution.  I am glad we have been able to kick-start these initiatives and hope that down the line more support will be made available to continue any successful schemes."

 Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said, "Prostitution damages lives and corrodes communities and Parliament has rightly acted to tackle the kerb-crawlers who fuel this pernicious vice.

"But clearly the criminal law alone can't tackle the often complex and deep-seated problems faced by those caught up in prostitution.

"That's why education and other support projects, such as those being funded in Edinburgh, are key to helping provide routes out of prostitution, and to preventing others from becoming involved in the first place."

Dr Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian said, "NHS Lothian is delighted to have been awarded this funding which will allow us to continue to work in partnership with APEX Scotland and SACRO to provide vital services that will help reduce the health inequalities faced by some of our most vulnerable women.

"This funding will allow us to provide services which are set to improve the quality of life for women at risk of getting involved in street prostitution, helping those lead healthy lives."*