HIGH levels of crime in parts of Southend - caused by men acting as pimps or buying sex - have triggered a desperate plea for action.

Labour councillor Helen McDonald, who represents Kursaal ward, is calling for the council to class street prostitution as similar to child exploitation - warning it has become a major factor in Southend crime.

The councillor has submitted a motion to a full council meeting next week which states women who sell sex are “at significant risk of psychological, emotional, physical and sexual harm”.

She says the council needs to change how it approaches the issue, including improved access to sexual health services.

She warned the side-effects of selling sex in the community are “high levels of antisocial behaviour” as the men who are acting as pimps or buying sex are also often involved in drug-dealing.

She said: “Recognising street prostitution as a form of adult sexual exploitation means that the council acknowledges that many women who sell sex are coerced and are not in a position to make a free and informed choices. For example due to drug dependencies or trauma - so they are also vulnerable to violence.”

This was backed by Independent councillor Martin Terry, who oversees community safety.

He compared street prostitution to “modern day slavery” and said most women are involved only because of an addiction.

He said: “Pimps will use that addiction to coerce them into doing what they are doing so I have a lot of sympathy toward this.”

Cllr McDonald added: “Currently, the commissioned services for sexual health in Southend do not meet the needs of women engaged in prostitution. “Condoms can be collected from the clinic at Victoria Avenue or the hospital but these locations are not central enough, the opening times do not fit with the women’s lives and women feel uncomfortable having to repeatedly ask for more condoms.”

She said the reason she is supporting women is because none of the outreach teams have “ever seen a man selling sex on the street” in Southend.