THE appointment of dedicated sex outreach worker Sue Lee to support prostitutes in the Broadgreen area makes perfect sense.

We have always maintained that the best way of tackling prostitution would be to target the clients without whom there would be little or no sex trade.

If there were a blanket policy of prosecuting them, placing them on a register and making their shame public, fewer men would be willing to take the risk.

As such a measure is unlikely ever to be put into place, it is imperative that the vulnerable people drawn into providing such services are protected.

Those who become involved are almost without exception people whose lives have either been wrecked or are in the process of being wrecked.

Many are deeply involved in substance abuse, have suffered sexual and emotional abuse in their past, or fall into both categories.

They are often in the thrall of violent pimps, drug dealers and other criminals, and their presence in a neighbourhood brings misery and danger to all.

Contrary to what certain of their clients try to convince themselves, hardly anybody becoming involved in the trade does so as a matter of choice.

And any suggestion that it is a legitimate career option does a gross disservice to the people who suffer.

We hope every such person in Swindon takes the help offered by Sue Lee and is able to move on to a better, safer, happier life.