The Times: London sex workers ‘live in fear’ of teenage harassers with cameras

Groups are filming themselves charging into premises in the West End and posting the videos online

Andy Silvester, London Editor

Sex workers in London’s West End are “living in fear” after being harassed by large groups of teenagers, who film themselves “charging” into their premises.

In recent weeks dozens of incidents have occurred in which groups numbering as many as 50 attempt to enter “walk-ups” where women are working.

Sources within the industry told The Times that cameras, often the only security feature available to those working, have been ripped down and in one case a door into a walk-up was broken. The windows of sex workers have also been subjected to regular vandalism.

Videos of the incidents, including one in which a door is repeatedly kicked, have circulated across social media platforms.

The incidents have been described by Niki Adams, a spokesperson for the English Collective of Prostitutes — an unofficial trade union-style organisation for sex workers — as “horrendous”.

At the beginning of the wave of incidents over recent weeks, some of those charging the flats were witnessed shouting “close the brothels” and telling onlookers that they were disrupting the work of the women in an effort to “stop trafficking”. In some instances, individuals who appear to be clients have been filmed approaching the premises.

The incidents are not exclusive to sex workers and some bars and restaurants have also been “charged” in a similar way, The Times understands.

Prostitution continues to operate in a grey area. While the exchange of sexual services for money is legal in the UK, apart from in Northern Ireland, related activities like soliciting, operating or managing a brothel, and controlling prostitutes for financial gain is illegal.

Adams has written to the local Metropolitan Police borough commander alleging that, during one of the incidents, a sex worker saw an attacker carrying a knife.

“Women are living in fear, trapped in their flats and too scared to go out, and we cannot understand why the police have failed to take effective action or allowed this to continue for over a month. It’s hard to believe this level of intimidation would be tolerated if it were a royal residence or an ambassador’s home under threat,” she told The Times.

Decrim Now, a sex worker-led campaign for the full decriminalisation of sex work, said that the “third party” rule — in which facilitating sex work is criminalised — means women are typically unable to employ security or even work together for safety, though some do work in premises in which typically older women work as unofficial receptionists.

“Decriminalisation (would allow) sex workers to work together in safety, without fear of arrest or harassment, and to use existing labour rights and protections to challenge unsafe or exploitative conditions in their own workplaces — like all other workers do,” Audrey, a spokesperson for Decrim Now told The Times.

A spokesperson for the Met Police said the force was “aware of a social media trend that has seen young people going into businesses and private properties then posting the videos online.

“We’ve used our policing powers where appropriate to move on those involved in this behaviour. We’ve issued a number of Community Protection Warnings and continue to review our use of further powers, like Criminal Behaviour Orders, for persistent offenders.”

The spokesperson added: “The trend doesn’t exclusively impact sex workers but they are among those who have been targeted. We would urge anyone who is the victim of violence or harassment, including when it is done in the name of social media entertainment, to contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.”

The Met works with organisations including the NHS and charities to provide support for vulnerable women and others who find themselves involved in sex work.

Recent evidence on the proportion of sex workers who have been trafficked is scant. One commonly cited study from 2010 suggested about 15 per cent of all women involved in prostitution across England and Wales have been trafficked.

Additional reporting by Ellie McDonald

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/london/article/west-end-sex-workers-tiktokkers-n79p7xjdz?