Commentary on Sections Part 1: Sexual Offences Section 56: Extension of gender-specific prostitution offences
103.Section 56 introduces Schedule 1 (extension of gender-specific prostitution offences) to the Act. Schedule 1 widens the offences of “permitting the premises to be used for prostitution” (at section 35 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956), “loitering or soliciting for purposes of prostitution” and the provisions relating to cautions for this offence (at sections 1 and 2 of the Street Offences Act 1959), “kerb crawling” and “persistent soliciting of women for the purpose of prostitution” (at sections 1 and 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 1985), otherwise unchanged by this Act, to cover all people involved, irrespective of their gender.