MIGRANT women who faced conviction for “using their premises as a brothel” have had charges against them under the Sexual Offences Act withdrawn.The women, known as Ms O and Ms R, said they were providing sex work in a flat together for safety to support their families.The English Collective of Prostitutes’ (ECP) Laura Watson said […]
By Aaron WalawalkarMembers of the English Collective Prostitute celebrate outside Staines Magistrates Court after the CPS dropped charges against two Brazilian migrants. Credit: Crossroads AV CollectiveThe Crown Prosecution Service has dropped its charges against two migrant women who faced conviction for letting each other use their shared flat to do sex work.Ms O and Ms R […]
Today charges were withdrawn against two women (named here as Ms O and Ms R) who were facing conviction for “a tenant permitting premises to be used as a brothel” (S35 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956). Laura Watson, English Collective of Prostitutes, which has supported the women throughout and who attended court today commented: […]
08/01 UPDATE: VICTORY! Charges withdrawn against both women! More info to follow shortly…————————-Two women arrested for working together for safety are being charged as tenants with “permitting premises to be used for prostitution”. Two women (Ms O and Ms R) are due to appear at North Surrey Magistrates Court on 8 January 2020 charged with “a tenant […]
The English Collective of Prostitutes gathers reports from our nationwide network and the media, and regularly publishes them in the form of a bulletin. These reports show that police crackdowns on prostitution are widespread, that women are subjected to surveillance and raids, are convicted, fined, and even go to prison – all with devastating consequences.SummaryWe […]
I’m two hours into my nine hour shift and it’s a quiet day. We are all feeling anxious because yesterday was quiet too, like every other day this month. I feel a mounting sense of doom at how I am going to cover my bills. I tell Mary, our receptionist, I’m writing an article about my […]
Sex worker campaign groups fear a new hotline for informing police of suspected brothel activity in east London will embolden vigilantes. The Metropolitan Police is encouraging residents to use a special phone line to report sightings of sex workers, suspected brothels or posters advertising erotic massages around Ilford Lane.It follows continued campaigning from community group CleanUp […]
‘Convictions for sex work further limit people’s ability to exit the industry and find alternative means of employment,’ says sex worker Maya Oppenheim Women’s Correspondent @mayaoppenheim The jailing of two migrant sex workers in Ireland has been condemned by others in the industry as “horrible” and “completely unjust”. Adrina Podaru, 25, and Ana Tomascu, 20, were living in Newbridge, Kildare, […]
Lobbyists say making payment for sex illegal targets punters. But in fact it makes workers’ bodies into crime scenes@frankiemullinPaying for sex has been illegal in Ireland for two years. At the time of the law’s introduction, proponents insisted that the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, a version of “end demand” or “Nordic model” legislation, would […]
Raids – or “welfare visits” – carried out by police are supposedly conducted for safety, but they’re harming sex workers and failing to identify genuine victims. Anti-trafficking raids are often framed as vital rescue missions undertaken to save victims of modern slavery. However, according to Niki Adams – an English Collective of Prostitutes [ECP] spokesperson with […]