London Wants Mobile Firms to Block Numbers on Sex Calling Cards

by Scott Wu | August 17, 2009 at 04:23 pm

166 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

London's deputy mayor for policing, Kit Malthouse, wants mobile phone companies to block numbers on sex calling cards. Sex calling cards are almost ubiquitous in London's phone booths, and they are also the contact points of sex trades. Malthouse have invited Vodafone, Orange, O2, 3, Virgin, and T-Mobile to discuss his plan. The chief executives of the mobile operators will meet at City Hall in October.

"Firstly, they become a source of repeat business. Plus the numbers operate as a kind of switchboard, there will be several poor girls operating behind the number.

"Hopefully it will become dangerous to advertise your number in these boxes because you may lose your business.

"If you are a trafficker or pimp all you are interested in is money, you are certainly not interested in the welfare of the women or young girls."

Placing sex calling cards in phone boxes is already an offense since 2001, but those leaving the cards must be caught in the act, making enforcement very difficult.

While the plan to block the numbers is possible, there is no telling if the method of contact would be switched to a technology much less restrictive like the internet as soon as the law is passed.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon