Women's groups blast 'ridiculous' job centre adverts for lap dancers

LAP dancing is being advertised as a viable career option in Scottish job centres, prompting accusations that the government is "legitimising" exploitation and violence against women.

The Scotsman has learned that women's rights groups are launching a campaign against the JobCentrePlus policy of promoting "inappropriate" vacancies in the sex industry.

The issue has also triggered discord between the Scottish Executive and the UK government, with a spokesman for Scottish ministers describing the move by the Westminster agency as "deeply regrettable".

Opposition to the policy is being led by Rape Crisis Scotland, which was alerted to a lap-dancing vacancy currently advertised on the national JobCentrePlus website.

The job, in Edinburgh city centre, offers "competitive rates" for working 37 hours a week, Monday to Sunday.

It says duties "will include entertaining customers, pole dancing and private dances" and assures potential candidates "full training will be provided".

The group's national co-ordinator, Sandy Brindley, said she had complained to officials at JobCentrePlus, who told her all legitimate sex-industry jobs were being advertised following a legal ruling three years ago.

The government agreed to allow the adverts after the High Court upheld a challenge from sex toy and lingerie chain Ann Summers, declaring in 2003 that an earlier ban on job adverts with the retailer was "irrational and unlawful".

However, women's groups say the JobCentrePlus policy of allowing legal sex-industry vacancies to be advertised is "ridiculous", as pole dancing is far removed from working behind a counter in a high-street shop.

Ms Brindley has written to members of the Scottish Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (SCAWE), urging them to complain to JobCentrePlus about the adverts.

"We will do everything we can to reverse this ridiculous policy," she said.

"This is wholly inappropriate. This is normalising and legitimising what we regard as the exploitation of women.

"It is also very concerning at a time when we are trying to prevent young women from entering prostitution that job centres have started advertising jobs in the sex industry, given what we know about the links between lap dancing and prostitution."

Research has shown that working in strip clubs can act as a gateway into prostitution, while encouraging exploitation by "objectifying" women.

JobCentrePlus has added the proviso that all adverts carry a mandatory statement that people are under no obligation to consider making an application for this particular vacancy. This means their job seekers allowance will not be removed if they fail to apply.

Ms Brindley added: "The outcome of the Ann Summers case was unfortunate. However, it is quite a step from advertising vacancies in Ann Summers shops to advertising for lap-dancing bars."

Artemis Pana, of the charity Zero Tolerance, said comparing lap dancing to shop work was "absurd". She said: "Women who work as lap dancers suffer emotional and physical abuse, which may result in low self-esteem. They are increasingly likely to take opportunities to enter prostitution.

"Women become a commodity, so men who pay for that believe they have a consumer's right to do what they choose.

"Job centres are sending out the message that the objectification of women is acceptable provided they are being paid the minimum wage. That is unacceptable."

Johann Lamont, the deputy communities minister, is understood to be strongly opposed to the policy. The MSP is chair of the National Group to Address Violence Against Women, which last year concluded that lap dancing was commercial exploitation that was a form of violence against women.

A spokeswoman for JobCentrePlus said the body advertised "any job vacancies provided they are legal and comply with normal vacancy rules".

She added: "All vacancies regarding the sex and related industries and/or involving nudity are marked not suitable for under-18s.

"In these cases, specific wording on the vacancy will inform job seekers of the nature of the work. It is also made clear that it is up to individuals if they wish to apply for these jobs."