Media coverage
The Guardian: Closure of Soho brothels raises risks for women, says local priest
Police operation condemned with claims that it will ‘push sex workers back on to the streets’ Mark Townsend A parish priest in Soho’s red-light district in London has claimed that the behaviour of police during raids on local brothels was “unacceptable and at times unlawful”. The Rev Simon Buckley, of St Anne’s rectory in Soho, has sent a […]
Mail Online: Judge overturns decision to shut down brothel
Two flats raided in London’s Red Light district last December by 200 policeOfficers believed sex workers were being illegally controlled for gainHowever, judge has quashed closure on two flats in Brewer Street, SohoSaid there was no evidence of police claims at Isleworth Crown Court’We are delighted. The ruling is extremely important,’ one campaigner saidBy LIZZIE EDMONDSTwo […]
Independent: Bordello backlash – First appeals fail against Soho brothel closures
Court rejects sex workers’ claims they were not being controlled and were safer than on streetsPaul PeacheyTwo sex workers lost their legal battle against Scotland Yard on Monday after claiming that the mass closure of brothels in the heart of London’s red-light district put them at greater risk of attack.Eighteen brothels were shuttered after raids […]
West End Extra: Sex workers go to court to fight ‘draconian’ closure of ‘walk-up flat’ in Soho
by WILLIAM McLENNAN SEX workers will be forced on to the street if a “draconian” ruling that shut down their flat is not reversed, a court heard.Two sex workers are taking the Metropolitan Police Service to court to appeal a closure order that was granted against a “walk-up flat” in Lisle Street.Police were granted the order, […]
OpenDemocracy: East end boys and west end boys – does gentrification lead to homophobia?
Three men recently attacked my date and I in London’s gay village Soho. They threw coins and shouted “faggot”. I think gentrification partly prompted their resentment. Recently, I was on a date. It was dinner with this guy I’d met at a party, and afterwards we strolled to the train station, stopping every couple […]
The Guardian: Letter – racism and xenophobia against sex workers
*Paragraph that was edited out included in bold. Criminalising prostitution puts women at great riskRacism and xenophobia are also a problem for sex workers The article “Mariana Popa was killed working as a prostitute. Are the police to blame?”, News) is a turning point in getting senior officers such as Chris Armitt to admit that […]
The Guardian: Rupert Everett in defence of prostitutes: ‘There is a land grab going on’
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 […]
West End Extra: Under-fire cops defend Soho raids
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 […]
The Guardian: Letter (unpublished) – demanding a fairer representation on criminalisation of clients
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 […]