"Women make up about 70% of those prosecuted and convicted, and half of those jailed for not paying the fine. When people fail to pay other utilities, such as energy companies, they are guilty of a civil offence, not a criminal one, and they cannot be prosecuted and fined for falling behind with their payments. Civil action can be taken for recovery, but without fines and jail terms."

http://freedomsfloodgates.com/2015/03/20/non-payment-of-bbc-...

"I can't afford to pay the licence" gets you a criminal conviction.

"I can't afford to pay the fines from that conviction" gets you jail time.

The disproportion in genders is possibly to do with difference in response when challenged by TVLA.

I quite like the idea of the licence fee but there are some really troubling aspects to it.