Exclusive: ‘After the raid, a lot of the women didn’t want to return to the premises because they were so traumatised,’ sex worker says as new information obtained under FOI laws emergesMaya Oppenheim Women’s Correspondent Around seven in ten police raids reported as being linked to modern slavery and sex trafficking are not resulting in any trafficking victims being referred to support services, […]
There are concerns the new police powers will only drive women into more dangerous sex workBy Callum Cuddeford News ReporterEnglish Collective of Prostitutes warns a ‘crackdown’ could push women towards danger (Image: English Collective of Prostitutes)Sex workers in East London could be raped and attacked if a crackdown on prostitution by Newham Council goes ahead, a […]
Newham Council is proposing a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for Romford Road, which would increase police powers against sex workers and undermine safety. Anyone attempting to buy or sell sex would face on the spot £100 fines, and if taken to court could be fined up to £1000. A PSPO would result in a […]
Activists have been fighting for sex work to be decriminalised for decades, but what would that actually look like? Writer Brit Dawson investigatesThis article is part of our Future of Sex season – a series of features investigating the future of sex, relationships, dating, sex work and sex worker rights; tech; taboos; and the next socio-political sexual frontiers.When I ask London-based sex worker Rosa to […]
Exclusive: ‘They like to have the power, especially if they know the girl is scared then they have the upper hand,’ says sex workerMaya Oppenheim Women’s CorrespondentPolice officers have been accused of ignoring the law in order to ‘bully, harass and intimidate’ sex workers.Two letters, sent to police by campaigners and shared exclusively with The Independent, accuse officers of […]
Exclusive: Sex worker says being ‘dragged through’ criminal justice system has ‘destroyed’ her life and made her homelessMaya Oppenheim Women’s Correspondent“Five or six police officers came to my flat last April,” Iris says.“I was really shocked so I didn’t open the door because I didn’t know what was going on. They broke my door.”The 35-year-old woman, […]
“Governments say that they’re tackling modern slavery, but they use that as a guise to raid and deport and terrorize migrant sex workers in the UK . . When sex workers actually go and report violence, including trafficking to the police, nothing is done about it. In some cases sex workers are actually arrested themselves […]
See article below from Berkshire Live. Also reported (with local figures) in Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Hampshire, Leicestershite, Somerset, Surrey, Teesside, Yorkshire. Covid lockdown rules were broken to visit prostitutes in Berkshire Social distancing guidance and a ban on mingling with strangers didn’t stop some people from leaving home to visit prostitutes By Richard Ault Despite much […]
It’s a key part of reducing violence against women.Lauren Crosby Medlicott is a freelance journalist in South Wales who covers human rights issues.Police violence those at Sarah Everard’s vigil shocked the nation, but many women working in the sex industry won’t be surprised at all. Camilla*, a Brazilian sex worker in central London, started working in the […]
Cari Mitchell on the campaign to increase safety for women working in flats in London’s Soho district Your review of Hot Stew, a novel set amid the brothels of Soho (10 March) condemns as “disastrous” the forms of protest attempted by the prostitutes. But in real life, a sex worker-led campaign of meetings and marches, pickets and protests […]