The prostitutes of London’s red-light district are being evicted. Here, Rupert Everett argues, with wit and vehemence, that closing down the brothels has nothing to do with protecting women The other night I watched Stephen Ward at the Aldwych Theatre, a morality musical about the destruction of an innocent man by the combined forces of Her Majesty’s […]
In December 2013, 250 police raided sex worker’s flats in Soho (central London). Over 20 flats were closed and women were handcuffed and dragged in their underwear onto the streets. The ECP and Soho Working Girls organised intensively against the closures, getting legal advice and publicising the injustice of the raids. 18 of the 20 […]
A TOP detective has denied any connection between police raids on brothels and plans to redevelop Soho – instead claiming the operation was inspired by American crime drama The Wire.Detective Superintendent Kevin Southworth was forced to defend the recent raids – which involved more than 40 premises in Soho – during a fiery debate in […]
WHAT THE VICTIMS OF THE POLICE RAIDS HAVE REPORTED TO THE ENGLISH COLLECTIVE OF PROSTITUTES AND LEGAL ACTION FOR WOMEN “Forty officers came into our building, approximately 20 went upstairs and 20 came into our flat. They were dressed in full riot gear, with dogs — everything but guns. They broke down our door even […]
Fionola MeredithFeminists and religious fundamentalists shouldn’t mix. If they do find common cause, it’s often a sign that one-dimensional moral or ideological fanaticism – rigid adherence, fuelled by heightened emotion, to absolutist messages and beliefs – has become more important than what happens to real people in the real world.Take the planned introduction of new […]
ICRSE CoordinatorFollowing a series of article in the UK newspaper The Guardian, ICRSE and many sex workers organisations, academics and allies have signed a letter demanding a fairer representation to the debate on criminalisation of clients.To this date, the letter (or its shorter version) have not been published and The Guardian has not contacted ICRSE.Dear […]
UK sex workers hail ruling ‘a victory for decriminalisation everywhere’. We have just heard that the Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously struck down the prostitution laws because they make it “dangerous” for prostitute women and infringe their constitutional rights. The ruling applies to both indoor and outdoor prostitution. The Court is giving the government one year to […]
A Closure Order against a flat in Tisbury Court, Soho, was thrown out of court this morning. District Judge Barrie found that insufficient steps had been taken to contact the owner of the premises. This decision is in contrast to the rulings of District Judge Susan Williams who presided over approximately ten other closure order […]
Rupert Everett: ‘The whole of this town is slipping through our fingers’HOLLYWOOD actor Rupert Everett joined a group of sex workers in court this week as they protested against the closure of scores of legal brothels in Soho.Earlier this month 200 police swooped on dozens of businesses in Soho in an attempt to clamp down […]
Sex Workers are not humans? It is the 11th International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers today. During 2013, the police never stopped raiding the sex workers and the massage workers. For example, we received the complaints from the massage workers almost every week, telling us that the police checked the license 4-5 times a […]