NUM Condemns Operation Begonia as Crackdown on Sex Work Expands Across Scotland
8 May 2025
Criminalising clients won’t protect sex workers—resources and rights will.
National Ugly Mugs as issued a strong condemnation of Operation Begonia, a police-led crackdown on street-based sex work that is expanding across Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen. While Police Scotland claims the initiative targets exploitation, NUM warns it is pushing sex workers further into danger—contradicting both public sentiment and international best practice.
Backed by leading international organisations such as Amnesty International, UNAIDS, and the World Health Organisation, NUM argues that enforcement-led approaches such as Operation Begonia are deeply harmful and counterproductive. Rather than tackling harm, the operation aligns with the controversial “Nordic Model”, which criminalises clients but not sex workers—an approach that research shows drives sex work further underground, increases risks of violence and exploitation, and erodes trust in public services.
“Police on every corner don’t make us feel safe. They make us scared,” said one Glasgow-based sex worker. “Clients vanish. The ones who stay are the risky ones.”
NUM reports that these policies reduce sex workers’ ability to control their working conditions and negotiate with clients. By decreasing client availability, they can force sex workers into accepting more dangerous situations—undermining their autonomy and safety in the name of “protection”.
Instead of policing poverty, NUM calls for a rights-based, support-first approach—one that addresses the actual causes of survival sex work: poverty, housing insecurity, violence, and lack of access to healthcare. NUM’s recent consultation response to the Proposed Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill stresses that real safety comes from meaningful support, not criminalisation.
NUM CEO Lynsey Walton issued the following statement:
Operation Begonia Is Endangering Lives, Not Saving Them
“Operation Begonia is not a solution—it’s a step backwards. At NUM, we’ve heard countless stories from sex workers who feel less safe—not more—when police patrol their workplaces. This operation risks driving people further into the shadows, where violence thrives and trust in public services disappears.
This so-called ‘zero-tolerance’ approach ignores overwhelming evidence and public sentiment. Our YouGov poll shows that most Scots reject the claim that all sex work equates to violence. More importantly, they believe sex workers themselves should be included in shaping the laws that directly impact their lives.
We all want to end violence—but we won’t achieve that by policing poverty. Sex workers deserve support, not suspicion. It’s time for Police Scotland and the Scottish Government to listen—to the public, to the data, and to sex workers themselves.
Decriminalisation, not criminalisation, is the path to real safety, dignity, and lasting change.”
Public Opinion Strongly Backs NUM’s Position
A recent YouGov poll, commissioned by NUM, reveals broad public rejection of the Scottish Government’s approach:
•47% believe it should be legal to pay for sex, compared to 32% who oppose it.
•69% say the government should prioritise health, safety, and support—not new criminal laws.
•62% disagree with the government’s stance that all sex work equates to violence against women.
•79% believe sex workers and sex worker-led groups should be involved in shaping relevant laws.
•Just 1% of Scots believe sex work legislation should be a government priority at this time.
NUM and other advocates argue that the criminalisation of clients, alongside increasing police visibility, only serves to eliminate sex workers’ income sources, push them into more dangerous scenarios, and compound the stigma they already face.