I read this on the BBC today, and thought I would share it here. It is a good step for Holland and I hope other cities follow in their example.

The Dutch city of Eindhoven is to award credit points to street prostitutes in exchange for good behaviour. Prostitutes with enough points will get street miles from the City Hall which they can use to buy designer clothes and furniture. In return they must take part in a city plan to help prostitutes find alternative employment.

Dutch cities are starting to close red light districts where street prostitutes operate.
Eindhoven plans to close the zone for street prostitutes by 2011. The prostitutes’ union, the Red Thread, is enthusiastic about the plan to help street prostitutes seek another profession.

With street miles from the City Hall, prostitutes can buy designer clothes and furniture from outlets like the Eindhoven Design Academy and the International School of Design in Cologne. To earn credit points for street miles, the prostitutes must take part in activities such as workshops where they can learn a range of skills to equip themselves for other work.

The City Hall says the street miles credit system goes far beyond designer clothing and street prostitution and is aimed at combating a combination of social problems.

I was watching a show the other night with Amy called Sex Slaves and it showed the side of prostitution that pimps and movies don’t want to show. It talked about the amount of prostitutes that are trafficked each year and how their lives are taken from them. This story comes as a thread of hope for these women, I just pray that they don’t get forced or chose to go prostitute elsewhere and that this is just a band aid and not a real cure.