To be upset a brothel has opened next door to my child's school

Because the place purports to be a massage parlour, which is legal.

You are not being unreasonable at all.

As a society we should not be normalising men being able to purchase intimate access to women's bodies. Nor should we be turning a blind eye to women being forced into prostitution. I can't think of anything that normalises this abusive attitude to women, that is inherent in prostitution, more than placing a brothel next to a school.

Its not about whether a man will attack a child. Its about the type of society we want to live in and what attitude we want society to have to women, and what attitudes to women we want society to condemn.

When people with a learning disability are at the highest risk of abuse, I'd be very concerned by the type of people this place would attract. My Daughter has a learning disability and it's something that would really concern me.

Yes of course trafficking can and does happen, but a 6 month surprise raid on all known brothels by all police forces all across the UK which found almost nothing may suggest it's not as prevalent as claimed by some.

"it’s not illegal for a woman herself to sell sex"

Yes but as long as she (or he) is alone. Sexworkers are committing a crime in all of the UK and ROI if they work together at the same premise, even if it's on different times or days.

@Christinapple

There's a question I asked no one has replied to yet, it is illegal to work in a brothel so is no one else here concerned that reporting this could mean these sexworkers being arrested and charged as well as their earnings confiscated? (because it's a brothel, the police can confiscate their cash, phones etc.)

Perhaps the lack of answers to your question is an answer in itself ?

Meh, where I live they built the school next to a knocking shop (not massages but swinger) here then tried to complain and have it shut down.

The knocking shop clearly pointed out they have been their for decades and its hardly been a secret. They showed they keep the premise locked and inaccessible to the general unbooked public and argued providing a place for consensual adults to shag isn't illegal or they would have to out law all hotels as well.

The sex bar won their right to stay are still there and from the cars outside (many with no subtly, always hilarious for creative rude private number plates though) at the weekend I would say they still do great business and in the decade since the school opened no kids have been effected by there being a building they walk past but can't get into.

If you don’t get anywhere with the council or police try the modern slavery hotline. That worked for one near me.

I personally wouldn't be happy because it's attracting a group of guys wanting to get their rocks off. Who on earth wants those kind of guys hanging around the area?!

They are rapists. They think they can buy consent.

I was in this exact position OP. In fact there were two, both same business, opposite each other and within 30 yards of school gate where I was a school governor. Literally men coming out of the doors pulling their trousers up every 20 minutes, both my daughters noticed.

I reported it to the police and the local authority, I had the local MP come round, put it on our village Facebook page etc. You know what they did? Well, the local councillor said "it's private business and nothing to do with us", the local Facebook group admins refused to publish any posts about it, and then police raided the places and arrested some of the women for IMMIGRATION OFFENCES. Fuck the prostitution, possible trafficking, whatever, just arrest some brown people (even more points for them being female) and job's a good un, builders can continue to get wanked off in their lunch break. Was double handy as there was a chippy next door. The Facebook group would lose their minds if there was a parking issue or a dodgy looking leaflet delivery man walking around, but prostitution opposite village school, well, its only a bit o' fun eh?

I've left that area now but that was 10 years ago and they're still doing a roaring trade. Interestingly (disgustingly?) my friend in the area was a beautician, and actually did therapeutic massage, been practising for years, she said most of her business calls each day were from men wanting sex. Anyway, obviously my efforts came to nothing, so I do admire you for trying to do something OP but not sure what on earth you can do?

@Meadowfinch has the right idea. You don’t need other parents to collaborate, just find out who at the council deals with business use and email them. Or contact your local councillors. Have you asked the school and the governors what they think?

I would be surprised if the shop was even open during school hours but I don’t know much about them. So you might be worrying about nothing but don’t let other people’s opinions or apathy stop you doing something you think is right

@Christinapple i have also posted far more recent links that shows that sex trafficking is a problem in the uk .It is the owners or managers of the brothel that are acting illegally, and all those those profit by exploiting women , it’s not illegal for a woman herself to sell sex. Do you think that punters do their “ due diligence” and check that the money isn’t going to a pimp or organised crime gang?

All of them.

Consent can’t be bought. Therefore they are raping these women - yes, even including your happy hooker pals.

I have no reason to doubt what you say about your life experience, and your work with homeless people and those with addictions. I'm sure that gives you valuable insight here.

But the 'proof' that men who use prostituted women is not quantifiable, it's definitional. You cannot fully consent to sex if it's transactional. Because sexual consent ought to be on the basis of totally free choice. That's what we teach children in school, right? Or do we say 'it's totally ok for someone to touch you in the area of your underwear if they've paid you'? Consent is not something that can be bought, Cerealkiller9000. If you have to pay for the 'consent' of a woman so you can do various sexual things with her, you have side-stepped the entire issue of whether she actually wants to or not. She needs to, therefore she does. Do you think that's ok? Would YOU be happy to have a sexual experience on that basis? I'm not trying to offend you, and certainly don't intend to judge anyone who has had to resort to selling their bodies in order to survive. That's why I think the Nordic Model is the only way to tackle this abusive industry.

Have a read of the article. This isn't just a "report by police", Operation Pentameter Two involved all police forces in the UK raiding all known brothels over a period of 6 months looking for evidence of trafficking. They found almost zilch.

There's a question I asked no one has replied to yet, it is illegal to work in a brothel so is no one else here concerned that reporting this could mean these sexworkers being arrested and charged as well as their earnings confiscated? (because it's a brothel, the police can confiscate their cash, phones etc.)

So the mums at a SN school don't think a brothel next door will affect their DC? I'd go and photo the wretched place - make sure you are visible. Men who use 'massage parlours' are not keen on being put up on social media doing it, so the place could just shut itself down if you do it long enough.
Aside from that, the women inside are not 'making an honest living' and you'd expect other women to feel for their plight, selling the holes in their bodies to satisfy some creepy man's belief he is entitled to sex, entitled to do whatever he wants with someone else's body. Sex work is not work, it is exploitation of women and girls (and some men and boys) for use by men. It is not something I would want my DC walking past to school, SN or not - especially not girls! Some women have a blind spot re this - would they like their DDs to become those 'ladies making an honest living'? I bet not.

Get a round the clock vigilante group to slow clap anyone who comes and goes.

And this will explain the state of the world we live in - people are asking 'what is the problem with filth?'

This. I can't believe how many people on this thread are minimising the impact of prostitution on the women involved and the community around them. It's a vile trade in women's bodies and everyone should object whenever they can.

Just report it OP. The location and the shady locked door appearance. To the police and the council and the headteacher. Why wouldn't you? Fear of being thought uncool or a busy body?

We could do with more Mary Whitehouse types if you ask me. Speak up if you have concerns, especially if children are involved.

In Leeds they had the Holbeck "managed prostitution" area which turned into an unsafe wild west area for all women and girls. That was only scrapped because of regular people (women) raising concerns and campaigning.
I'm not saying it will turn into a wild west by your school, just that people can make a difference if they speak up. The authorities had a shit idea, didn't listen, endangered women and children and then wouldn't admit it until pressured.

This has to be a joke.

Do you think women trust the police? They are usually lured from their country under false pretences with the threat of harm to them/their family hanging over them.

Did you think the police turned up and they all told the total truth?

Keeping in mind a large number of brothels are run by gangs and human traffickers, I think looking past the dangers from JUST the customers is wise

Oh well a report from 2009 by the Police we can all dismiss out concerns

of course vulnerable woman are going to be honest with Police as we all know how protective they are towards vulnerable woman 🙄

one report against countless concerns raised and investigations carried out by charities and organizations that work with vulnerable woman about sex trafficking and the manipulation of women and sometimes girls

@Christinapple it’s not exactly hard to find evidence to the contrary https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/14/seventeen-arrested-in-london-in-human-trafficking-crackdown. Link may not work due to cookies etc. www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/38-arrested-as-national-law-enforcement-drive-targets-child-traffickers?highlight=WyJuYXRpb25hbCIsInJlZmVycmFsIiwibWVjaGFuaXNtIiwidG8iLCJvZiIsInllYXIiXQ==

I suspect there are a few punters on this thread with all the defending of these creepy men and desperate attempts to brush trafficking of women under the carpet.