The London Mayor’s office has pledged to include a ban on sex ads in newspapers in the campaign to stop violence against women.

Mayor Boris Johnson launched his strategy in April, opening a public consultation.

Called “The Way Forward – A call for action to end violence against women”, it covered a range of forms of violence against women including rape, domestic violence, forced marriage, stalking, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and trafficking, female genital mutilation and honour based violence.

Deputy Mayor for policing Kit Malthouse said he will include the banning of sex ads in his recommendations as part of his bid to stop trafficking.

He praised Newsquest’s stand on the issue.

The publisher of the South London Guardian series as well as the Surrey Comet and Richmond and Twickenham Times, banned the adverts from its 305 titles.

The company, which took the decision last year, had been persuaded of the clear link between the ads and women being trafficked for sex.

Newsquest, in conjunction with charity for trafficked women Eaves Housing are campaigning to get other local newspapers to drop the adverts.

A report into the sex industry, commissioned by MP Harriet Harman, showed more than 40 per cent of men who access off-street prostitutes do so through the local media.

Sustained campaigning by women’s groups has resulted in the government proposing an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill.

It is being debated in the House of Lords.

It will see men who pay for sex criminalised if they buy services from prostitutes who are controlled by someone else for money.

Eaves Housing in conjunction with human rights organisation Object have launched a campaign to adopt the ‘Nordic model’, which tackles demand for prostitution, decriminalises those selling sex and helps people to get out of prostitution.

Speaking about the issue at the launch of the campaign at Portcullis House, award winning journalist Victor Malarek said: “Demand is fuelling the trafficking of women and girls, and payment is, for the Johns, the ultimate conscience-pacifier.

“This is a human rights catastrophe, alarm bells are ringing, and we had better do something to put the brakes on this insanity.”

Roger Matthews, professor of criminology, said: “Punters often feel ambivalent and guilty about their use of women in prostitution.

“We need a major campaign, like the smoking ban. Attitudes towards smoking have been changed very effectively – we need to do same regarding prostitution.”

More information on both campaigns can be found at www.eaves4women.co.uk and www.object.org.uk