‘Sex for rent; is where landlords exchange accommodation for free or at a discount in return for sexual relations with their tenants.
The practice is illegal the Sexual Offences Act and landlords can be prosecute for this offence.
The call for evidence, which will close on 30 June, will examine whether current legislation goes far enough or if new measures are needed to tackle the issue and better protect vulnerable tenants from harm.
It will look to “gain the views of those who have been directly engaged in a ‘sex for rent’ arrangement, whether they were deceived, coerced, or compelled into it”.
According to a survey by YouGov done on behalf of Shelter around one in 50 women in England have been propositioned for ‘sex for rent’ in the last five years.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “It’s wholly unacceptable that vulnerable people, and particularly young women, are being exploited in ‘sex for rent’ arrangements. This is an abuse of power which puts people in desperate situations and has no place in our country.
“The launch of this public call for evidence brings us closer to ending this deeply harmful trend and better protecting victims.”
“And it is another example of how this government will not stop in our efforts to bring more sexual and domestic abusers to justice.”
Police, trade bodies and charities welcome call for evidence
National Ugly Mugs (NUM), a charity that works to end violence against sex workers and works with victims of ‘sex for rent’ arrangements, welcomed the call for evidence.
Dr Raven Bowen, CEO of NUM, said: “As an organisation dedicated to supporting sex workers we have seen first-hand the damage that this exploitative behaviour can have, especially on young women and mothers.
“We support action that will clamp down on predatory landlords and we hope that this is accompanied by wider action to combat the fundamental issue of poverty and unaffordable housing that make people vulnerable to this abuse.”
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Prostitution and Sex Working’s deputy chief constable Dan Vajzovic agreed that this would be a “welcome opportunity to hear from victims and stakeholders on the reality facing women”.
“With many struggling to pay rent, they become vulnerable to predatory landlords, and it is vital we put an end to this.
“Violence against women and girls in all its forms is abhorrent. Policing is going after the violent and abusive men who commit these crimes. This call for evidence offers a first step towards helping vulnerable victims of this behaviour, please come forward,” he added.
Dan Wilson Craw, deputy director of Generation Rent said the call for evidence was “vital”, and research done by Generation Rent and Mumsnet estimated that over 200,000 women could be victims of ‘sex for rent’ in the UK.
He added that four per cent of respondents said they had been offered free or discounted rent in return for sexual favours, with this increasing to one in 10 respondents with a household income below £20,000.
“We know the vast majority of landlords abide by the law: seeking permission to enter and respecting their tenants’ privacy.
“However, given the unparalleled access landlords have to tenants’ personal spaces and lives, and the scale of the issue, this consultation is necessary in ensuring that everyone, especially the most vulnerable among us, has access to a safe and secure home, free from harassment and exploitation,” Wilson noted.
