Police make 200 vice-girl arrests

About 200 arrests have been made by police for prostitution-related crimes in the Black Country during the past three years.

The highest number of arrests was by officers based in the Wolverhampton West operational command unit, which covers areas such as All Saints, Parkfields and Eastfield which have all traditionally had problems with prostitution - although a police crackdown has meant that arrest numbers have been falling.

The figures for prostitution-related arrests in the Black Country boroughs have been released by West Midlands Police under the Freedom of Information Act.

The figures include kerb crawlers and women plying for trade. They show that 84 arrests have been made by officers based in Wolverhampton West in 2006-07 and 2008-09, with 50 in the first year, 13 in the second and 21 in the last financial year.

The area with the fewest arrests listed was the Bloxwich operational command unit, which recorded three arrests during the past three years, all of which were in 2006-07.

Walsall recorded the most arrests after Wolverhampton West in the past three years, with 34 listed.

The figures also show that there were 84 arrests in 2006-07, 50 in 2007-08 and 66 in 2008-09 in the Black Country boroughs.

In 2005 the Express & Star joined with the police to name and shame kerb crawlers in a campaign which helped to cut the number of prostitutes by more than half.

Police spokesman David Hodgetts said: "Police are constantly working with partner agencies to help prostitutes move away from and quit the lifestyle. Officers work closely with the local authorities, health service staff and anti-social behaviour units to address the wide range of issues that surround sex workers and kerb crawlers.

"We regularly refer sex workers to local women's health support agencies.

"A recent three-month police operation in Birmingham saw a total of 40 sex workers referred to women's health support agencies. Anyone who needs help or has information about prostitution or kerb crawling should contact police on 0845 113 5000."