Op Begonia – New national approach to prostitution
Minister for Victims and Community Safety, Siobhan Brown, joined Police Scotland officers in Dundee last night, Tuesday, 29 April, 2025, to see the service’s new national approach to prostitution in action.
Officers will focus on areas known for on street prostitution and engage with people involved in prostitution to make sure they are safe and to signpost them to support from local partner agencies. Officers will also tackle kerb crawling, and arrest and charge anyone attempting to purchase sex.
This new approach was piloted in Aberdeen, and is now in action in Glasgow and Dundee, specifically in areas where on street prostitution remains an issue. This approach will be adopted across the country and these patrols are in addition to regular police patrols.
Detective Superintendent Steven Bertram, lead on Prostitution, Police Scotland, said: “Prostitution brings a significant threat of risk and harm to people and communities.
“People involved in prostitution, most of whom are women, are particularly vulnerable to violence.
“Drug or alcohol related issues, or poverty, can drive people into prostitution, particularly on street.
“Our approach, as demonstrated in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Dundee, focuses on safety and welfare, engaging with people and signposting them to support available from our partners, and hopefully reducing the risk of violence.
“This is about building trust and confidence in policing. It’s about safer communities and supported victims. And it’s about tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms.”
Victims Minister Siobhan Brown said: “I was pleased to visit Dundee to learn more about Police Scotland’s new national approach to tackle demand for prostitution, Operation Begonia, which recognises women involved in prostitution as victims of exploitation and signposts them to local support organisations, whilst also challenging and deterring men’s demand.
“This is an early outcome of our joint work with Police Scotland and this approach, with a focus on safety and support for those involved in commercial sexual exploitation, will help to contribute to better outcomes for victims as well as safer communities.”
To date, three Op Begonia patrols in Dundee have resulted in nine men being charged with soliciting.
