Ethics and Vulnerability in Street Prostitution; An Argument in Favour of Managed Zones

This article draws upon the work of Judith Butler, in particular her approach to ethics and the concepts of vulnerability and liveable lives, in order to provide a critical analysis of reform proposals contained in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill (now Act 2008) in relation to street prostitution. The article will argue that the proposals presented in the Bill problematically use the vulnerability of street sex workers in order to promote a moralistic agenda. In contrast it will be argued that managed zones, as proposed by Liverpool City Council, provide a potentially more ethical approach to the issue of street prostitution.