KEY POINTS:
Two stalwarts of the Women's Institute in England - usually concerned with issues such as needlepoint and jam-making - are travelling to New Zealand to investigate brothels.
Pensioners Jean Johnson, 62, and Shirley Landells, 73, of the institute in Hampshire want to learn how New Zealand prostitutes run their own businesses.
They also want to talk to prostitutes to see how the profession operates, the Telegraph newspaper in London reported.
Mrs Johnson, a housewife from the village of Four Marks, admitted that she expected the trip to be "quite an eye-opener". She added: "I'm prepared to be very shocked by what I see."
Mrs Landells, who joined the WI 40 years ago, said: "I joined up to get involved with jam-making and craftwork and never thought I would ever be doing anything like this.
"It's an issue that nobody seems to talk about - certainly nobody in the WI - but it's so important that we look out for the health and safety of these girls. I really am the least likely person to be visiting brothels - I'm very conventional I suppose. I imagine I may well be quite upset about things I see."
On the way to New Zealand, they will tour the red light district of Amsterdam and visit a "bunny ranch" in the US dubbed "the best little whorehouse in the Western world".
The pair will return to brief institute members on their findings as part of a campaign to legalise prostitution in Britain and provide greater protection for working girls.
- NZPA
