Arnie urged to terminate prostitute-rating website

ARNOLD Schwarzenegger was urged to terminate a controversial website that allows men to recommend of prostitutes, including those from Oldham.

Harriet Harman, Labour’s deputy leader, condemned the site — called PunterNet — for encouraging men to buy sex, adding: “It is truly degrading and puts women at risk.”

The site advertises 100 prostitutes from Oldham and lists tens of thousands from across Britain — inviting men to describe their experience and whether they would recommend a prostitute to other punters.

But, Ms Harman, told the Brighton conference, the website was based in California — which meant the British government had no power to shut it down.

She told delegates: “You know trip adviser — a website where guests put their comments on line for others to see.

“There is now a website like that where pimps put women on sale for sex and then men who’ve had sex with them put their comments on line. It is PunterNet and fuels the demand for prostitutes. It is truly degrading and puts women at risk.

“I’ve called on California’s governor Arnie Schwarzenegger to close it down. Surely it can’t be too difficult for the Terminator to terminate PunterNet and that’s what I am demanding that he does?”

The site links to the websites of prostitutes and many include their phone number.

Men can then call up field reports, with one of the more tame reviews reading: “After reading previous reviews I was keen to meet Virginia. She didn’t disappoint . . . had a great time.”

Ms Harman’s condemnation of the website follows the Government’s plans to make it a criminal offence to buy sex from a prostitute controlled by a pimp, or from trafficked women — a growing problem.

The new offence will carry a fine of up to £1,000 and a criminal record, which could prevent those caught from getting work in sensitive jobs.

Ms Harman said: “We know that prostitution is not work. It’s exploitation of women by men — often women who have mental-health problems, or drug or alcohol addiction.”