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The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

Press Release

Action on Exploitation with Support for New Prostitution Bill


For Immediate Release
28 January 2026

Bishops’ Conference Calls for Action on Exploitation with Support for New Prostitution Bill

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has written to the First Minister of Scotland to express the Church’s support for the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill, currently before the Scottish Parliament.

In the letter, the Bishops’ Conference describes the Bill, tabled by independent MSP, Ash Regan, as “a vital step toward protecting some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society and addressing the systemic harms associated with prostitution in Scotland.”

Protecting Victims and Challenging Demand

The Bill’s central purpose—to reduce prostitution and tackle exploitation, coercion, and harm—is described as both compelling and necessary.

It proposes a new offence for the purchase of sexual acts, while repealing outdated laws that historically penalised those who were themselves victims. The Bill would also quash previous convictions under section 46 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, removing what Bishop Keenan calls a “significant barrier” to rebuilding lives.

The Bishops’ Conference supports the Bill’s adoption of a “challenging demand” model, shifting criminal responsibility away from individuals exploited through prostitution—overwhelmingly women and girls—and onto the buyers who fuel the commercial sex market. This model reflects international best practice and aligns with Scotland’s wider commitments to tackling violence against women and girls.

Addressing Vulnerability and Trauma

The letter highlights the deep vulnerabilities that underpin involvement in prostitution. Many affected individuals have experienced childhood abuse, care experience, grooming, and trauma, with young people—particularly those leaving care—at high risk of exploitation. Technology has intensified these risks, expanding opportunities for manipulation.

Human Trafficking Concerns

The Bishops’ Conference also emphasises the Bill’s relevance to combatting human trafficking for sexual exploitation, a significant and documented issue in Scotland. International evidence links reductions in trafficking to demand‑reduction legislation. Bishop Brian McGee, Vice‑President of the Bishops’ Conference, has contributed insight from his work with the Santa Marta Group, an international alliance dedicated to ending human trafficking. He believes the Bill reflects “the realities identified by trafficked people, law enforcement, and Church agencies around the world.”

Right to Support

A key component of the proposed legislation is the creation of a statutory right to support for anyone currently or previously involved in prostitution. This includes access to accommodation, financial aid, healthcare, and counselling—supports deemed essential for enabling safe and sustainable exits from prostitution.

Call for Political Leadership

Acknowledging differing political opinions, and expecting Parliament to provide considerable scrutiny from which the Bill can benefit, the letter urges the Scottish Government to show leadership by backing the Bill, underscoring its potential to protect vulnerable women and girls, prevent trafficking, and advance equality.

ENDS

Contact:
Media Office

Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
64 Aitken Street, ML6 6LT
Tel: 01236 764061
Email: [email protected]

The Roman Catholic Bishops in Scotland work together to undertake nationwide initiatives through their Commissions and Agencies.

The members of the Bishops' Conference are the Bishops of the eight Scottish Dioceses. Where appropriate the Bishops Emeriti (retired) provide a much welcomed contribution to the work of the conference. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland is a permanently constituted assembly which meets regularly throughout the year to address relevant business matters.

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Members of The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. 

To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

News from the Commissions and Agencies

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October 2025



A new report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) covering the period between August 10 and October 26 has revealed that in just the 76 days, over 100 Christians in Nigeria were killed, and 120 others kidnapped by jihadist groups.

The report that Intersociety Founder and Leader, Emeka Umeagbalasi, shared with ACI Africa on Sunday, October 26 raises an alarm about “continuation, intensification, unchecked, untamed, widespread, coordinated and systematic attacks by Islamic Jihadists and their enablers, aiders and abettors against defenseless Christians in Nigeria.”

Of the 120 Christians abducted, at least 12 “are likely not coming back alive from the hands of their jihadist captors,” reads the Intersociety report in part.

Researchers at Intersociety base their assumption that a percentage of those abducted may never come back alive on an existing trend by the jihadists to kill their captives.

“A clear case in point is the over 1,000 abducted Christian hostages held inside Rijana Forest camps in Kaduna State, out of which estimated 120 or more than 10 percent are likely to have been killed in captivity,” the researchers say.

Findings by Intersociety also show that out of the 100 defenseless Christian deaths, Jihadist Fulani militants “hiding under Fulani herdsmen’” accounted for an estimated 80 deaths while Jihadist Boko Haram insurgents killed the other 20 Christian deaths.

Intersociety reports that on October 14, some 13 Christians from Rochas village in Nigeria’s Plateau State were massacred by Jihadist Fulani militants, during which scores were injured and abducted.

The slain 13 defenseless Christians included children and eight adults. Those killed in the attack are identified as Solomon Dung Choji (43), Sunday Gyang Chollom (29), Davou Mallam Chollom (24), Kefas Dung Sambo (29), Chollom Danjuma Chollom (37), Christina Davou Chollom (27), Marvelous Chollom (8), Japhet Solomon (14), Ntyang Chollom Danjuma (6), Mary Monday (10), Mancha Monday (12), Solomon Chung (40) and Musa Dung Bot (32).

It further reports that on October 10, no fewer than nine Christians were killed and eight others critically wounded by Jihadist Fulani militants in Kachia part of Southern Kaduna.

Intersociety further refers to a September 2 report that “no fewer than eight Christians were killed by Boko Haram jihadists on August 30” in Borno State, and three others “in another area”.

The researchers further refer to Truth-Nigeria’s report of October 22 that reports the October 20 killing of five Christians by Boko Haram in Kwakwahu village of Madagali in Adamawa State during an attack in which four other Christians were abducted.

According to Sahara Reporters, no fewer than 12 persons, all of them Christians, including a medical doctor and some patients were abducted by Fulani Jihadists on October 21 in Southern Kaduna.

“There was also another attack in Gidan Busa village in Kachia county, during which three Christians were abducted and herded into Jihadist forests,” Intersociety has reported.

Leaders of the Kwara State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who spoke to Intersociety on October 25 also reported about “numerous” Christians having been killed, abducted or displaced in recent months since August by Fulani Bandits.

The bandits, Intersociety was told, are invading Yoruba parts of Kwara, Kogi and Nasarawa States from different fronts, during which several churches have also been sacked or destroyed especially in places like Ifelodun, Irepodun, Ekiti, Kiama, Isin, Oke Ero, Pategi, Edu and Baruten.

The Kwara CAN leaders also lamented over marginalization and deprivation of access to political office and representation.

Intersociety also refers to an October 24 report by Truth-Nigeria, that shows that in addition to more than 800 Christians held by Fulani Jihadists inside Rijana forest camps in Southern Kaduna, not less than 24 more Christians were abducted on September 20.

The researchers at Intersociety say that out of more than 1,000 Christian hostages abducted and held by Fulani Jihadists from December 2024 to October 2025, an estimated 200 have been ransomed and freed and more than 800 others remain in captivity.

“It is also our estimation that 120 have died in captivity since February 2025 and no fewer than ten of the Christian hostages killed in captivity in the past 76 days or since August 10,” the intersociety report reads.

Full story: https://ow.ly/zW3z50XiQ9F
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The Vatican has released the official logos and mottos for Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journeys to Türkiye and Lebanon, scheduled for November 27-December 2, 2025. The Türkiye logo, marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, bears the motto “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” The Lebanon logo depicts Pope Leo blessing the nation beside a dove and a cedar tree, with the motto “Blessed are the Peacemakers.” Both designs capture the heart of Pope Leo’s first international journey: a mission of peace, unity, and hope in the East.

#shalomworldnews #popeleoxiv

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Reflection on today’s Gospel
Luke is the evangelist of prayer, offering frequent hints about it. In his Gospel Jesus is explicitly mentioned as being in prayer more often than in any other, at the Baptism, the Transfiguration, when called upon to teach his disciples the Lord’s Prayer (3.21; 6.12; 11.1). The Agony in the Garden is shaped to show the need for prayer in time of testing (22.40). In the Infancy Narratives his characters burst into prayerful praise on every occasion, and from these we derive the three great canticles of the Church, the Magnificat, the Benedictus and the Nunc dimittis. His parables insist on the need for perseverance in prayer, especially the parables of the Friend at Midnight (11.5-8) and the Unjust Judge (18.1-5). Their motives may not be perfect: the Friend at Midnight eventually caves in because he does not want to be shamed for inhospitable behaviour when the whole village hears the hammering on the door. And the appellant to the Unjust Judge seems to be on the edge of violence, threatening to hit the Judge in the face! But the message is to persevere!
Today, in this parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector, Luke combines deadly earnestness with humour in a typically Lukan fashion. The pompous and self-contradictory bragging of innocence by the Pharisee is duly repellent, while the humble self-accusation of the tax-collector is something to which we can all aspire.

HW
from Universalis today

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