MEDIA RELEASE
20 September 2011

Christchurch Council Should Protect Families From Brothels

Family First NZ is writing to Christchurch City Councilors to encourage them to respond to the concerns of families and prevent brothels affected by the earthquake relocating in residential areas.

“Councils have every right under the law to restrict the location of brothels. They should push the location of brothels to areas well away from children and families,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“To allow brothels near a family home is unacceptable. Nobody expects to have their largest investment suddenly neighbouring a brothel. We have accounts from around the country of home brothels where people willing to pay for sex are disturbing nearby homes trying to find the brothel. In one recent example in Auckland, there was full-frontal nudity in the windows, and bus loads of men streaming in on hourly rotations.”

“There are also concerns about noise, traffic, and late-night visits. We must not expose our children and families to that level of risk. There is a healthy stigma against prostitution – and for good reason.”

“The Local Government Act empowers Councils to provide for, amongst other things, the social and environmental well-being of communities. The Council needs to be proactive rather than turning a blind eye to the potential harm on families.”

Two out of three New Zealanders want the prostitution laws amended to ban brothels in residential areas. In the poll of 1,000 people undertaken by Curia Market Research in March, respondents were asked “Should the prostitution laws be amended to specifically ban brothels in residential areas?”

66% want brothels banned in residential areas, 26% disagreed, and the remainder (8%) were either unsure or refused to answer.

“Family First acknowledges that the prostitution law is a dog’s breakfast and it’s time that the politicians got their act sorted out on this issue. But in the meantime, we urgently need the Christchurch City Council to make the hard calls, restrict brothels from relocating in residential areas, and act in the interests of families,” says Mr McCoskrie.

ENDS

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