From Sunday, Chinese authorities may no longer skirt legal channels to detain sex workers and their clients, according to a resolution passed during last week’s meetings of the country’s top legislators. Since 1991, police have had the authority to “detain and educate” such individuals for up to two years without the involvement of domestic courts.

The so-called detention and education system has been challenged by both legislators and activists in recent years, with the former arguing that extrajudicial administrative procedures are inherently unfair and the latter claiming some sex workers are subjected to brutal treatment — including being verbally shamed, poked with electric prods, photographed while naked, and sexually assaulted — during their detention.

Abolishing extrajudicial detention for sex workers was most recently proposed at this year’s “two sessions” political meetings in March. “In recent years, cases of ‘detention and education’ have declined, with some cities already abolishing it in practice,” Shen Chunyao, head of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress’ Standing Committee, said late last year. (Image: VCG)