Sir, One aspect of the possible criminalisation of paying for sex (report, Nov 20) is that it will be a blackmailers’ charter. There are parallels with the 1967 law that decriminalised gay men — to protect from blackmail and prosecution those who were having consensual sex in private. Just as with homosexuality before 1967, demand will only be stamped underground, and blackmail, violence and disease will proliferate.

The problem is with pimps who force women into non-consensual sex. If these women are now unable to name and shame their pimps — who are incontestably breaking the law — what possesses the Government to think that they will name their clients, and face being beaten up for ruining their boss’s business?

The Government needs to think again — more problem-solving, less window-dressing.

The Rev Richard Haggis

Littlemore, Oxon

Sir, In a liberal Western democracy that believes in the rule of law and that a defendant is innocent until proved to be guilty, to apply “strict liability” to a man’s ability to know whether a prostitute has been “trafficked” (whatever the definition of that may be) when it appears that the police and the social services are by no means sure which women fall into this category, is draconian, dictatorial and against all the principles of British justice.

Prostitution will never be stamped out by anything other than perhaps summary execution. The Government should accept that it occurs and is, sadly, part of life and humanely try to treat those who suffer as a result of it. Instead, it is taking action that will inevitably banish it ever farther into a twilight zone where women will increasingly be terrorised by pimps. Men, who might in the past have openly used the services of prostitutes, will now be fearful of being seen to use them and will be more likely to go to “underground” brothels in order to avoid being seen, where, ironically, the likelihood is much greater that the prostitutes will be trafficked.

Stephen Porter

London NW6

Sir, The criminal law is supposed to provide a framework for law-abiding citizens to follow and know that they will not be in trouble. However, there is no way to follow this law without treating it as a total outlawing of prostitution. A total ban would at least be logical. Yet again we have muddled laws from this Government, implemented by ministers who either don’t understand the implications or who simply don’t want to.

Kerb-crawlers will also face prosecution for a first offence. I hope I don’t get nicked just because I may be moving slowly in traffic.

Phil Bailey

Crickhowell, Powys