Sex workers have been in Soho, central London, for at least 200 years. During that time there has been constant attempts to arrest women and raid and close down the premises where we work. Since the 1980s women in Soho have been part of the ECP’s network and we have spearheaded campaigns against evictions and landgrabs. For example, in 2013, we mobilised against mass police raids which forced the closure of flats where women were working in relative safety. Most were re-opened, and the lie promoted by the police that the raids were aimed at saving victims of trafficking was thoroughly discredited. See more here: ‘Soho Fights’.
Sex is why people go to Soho – even if they don’t know it. By Jaymi McCann The millions of revellers who descend on the central London area every year might think they are going for a cocktail but what really drives them to the UK’s centre of sex is the sleaze, excitement and colour of […]
ALINA POLIANSKAYASEX workers joined Soho’s artisan community in a day of protest against police brothel raids as they took to the streets to film a music video for a protest singer with deep roots in the community.Following the recent spate of raids on the area’s brothels, the English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) were invited along […]
English Collective of Prostitutes joined by artists, actors and musicians to fight ‘ham-fisted’ police action Soho sex workers held “their biggest protest to date” in London’s Piccadilly yesterday against recent raids on brothels. Musicians, actors, dancers and performance artists joined members of The English Collective of Prostitutes to protest against the “ham-fisted” nature […]
Damian WhitworthThe late porn baron’s company wants to redevelop London’s village of vice — but without the sex, will it lose its soul?The front line in the battle for the soul of Soho can be found if you take a walk down Brewer Street until you reach a door that is open on to the […]
Members of the English Collective of Prostitutes were joined by Soho residents on Wednesday in a noon protest against the raids. They also collected signatures in opposition to a move in the European Parliament to criminalise sex workers’ clients.by WILLIAM McLENNAN A VICAR has said public confidence in the police has been “severely undermined” by the […]
STOP CRIMINALISATION: SAFETY FIRST – PROTEST AGAINST RAIDS, EVICTIONS AND CRIMINALISATION. Walkers Court, Soho.Wednesday 26 February, 11am-12pm. On 3 March, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Prostitution reports and is likely to recommend criminalisation of clients. Criminalising clients will not stop prostitution, nor will it stop the criminalisation of women. But it will make it […]
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 […]
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 […]
Your support helped win this victory – thank you Two sex workers’ flats in Soho, central London were yesterday re-opened by a judge at Isleworth Crown Court. Judge JW Kingston rejected police evidence that women working in walk-up flats in Brewer Street were being controlled or incited into prostitution for gain. He overturned the closure […]