Imprisoned for working to support her disabled son

In 2010, a woman was charged with brothel-keeping. She had decided to work with other women after she had a knife held to her throat whilst working as an escort. She had a teenage son with special needs so decided to plead guilty because she thought that was the best way to ensure that she didn’t get a prison sentence. Despite an excellent probation report the judge gave her nine months custodial sentence. Her entire life savings which she had been putting aside for her child, were confiscated under proceeds of crime legislation. As a woman of colour, she felt that racism was behind why she was treated so harshly.