Image: English Collective of ProstitutesAusterity cuts, the introduction of the harsh Universal Credit scheme and the Hostile Environment has driven more people to sex work to meet their basic needs. Despite this, sex work remains a criminalised profession that is not recognised as legitimate work. The pandemic further exposes the injustice caused to sex workers […]
Jane Wharton ‘Draconian laws’ and increasing poverty have exposed sex workers to soaring rates of rape and assault, according to a leading pressure group. The English Collective of Prostitutes says two thirds had experienced violence within the last month alone. It has also highlighted that poverty sparked by benefit cuts have led to a surge […]
Written and oral evidence from the ECP to the Work and Pensions Committee Inquiry into Universal Credit and Survival Sex focused on the impact of austerity on levels of prostitution in the UK. The Committee published its findings in November 2019 and recommended action against some of the worst injustices of the benefit system such as draconian […]
‘I was in a desperate financial situation, no parents to support me and about to become homeless. As I am disabled and was in full-time education, my opportunities for work were, and remain, limited,’ says womanMaya Oppenheim Women’s Correspondent @mayaoppenheimAusterity is pushing women into prostitution and the criminalisation of the industry is putting them in danger, according […]
Evidence that women are being driven to sex work because of problems with universal credit must lead to government action, MPs have said.A number of women told the work and pensions committee they turned to sex work because their benefits payments did not cover their basic needs.The committee said the government had previously been “dismissive” of […]
As the government faces calls to axe the five-week wait for Universal Credit payments, one ex-claimant describes her experience.One woman told Sky News she had been forced to sell sex for £5 after Universal Credit struggles.Women are being driven to carry out “survival sex” work because of the five-week wait for Universal Credit payments, MPs […]
BY GEORGIA ASPINALL Women are being forced into survival sex work to afford basic necessities because of issues with universal credit according to new warnings from MPs. The work and pensions committee has lambasted the government for not taking the issue seriously sooner, having previously said that the link between universal credit and survival sex work was […]
MPs said the wait for the first payment was one of the ‘deep, structural problems’ with Universal Credit and called for it to be scrappedBy Serina SandhuThe Government must end the five-week wait for Universal Credit as it is often the reason claimants say they are forced into “survival sex”, MPs have said.The warning comes after the […]
Response to the Report from the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee Inquiry into Universal Credit and “survival sex”Laura Watson from the English Collective of Prostitutes, which gave evidence to the Committee says:“The fury against Universal Credit is growing. Women and children are its first targets and single mothers have been hit particularly hard losing on average […]
Families struggling to proviude meals during summer holidays By Helen Chapman CAMPAIGNERS at a food bank staged a demonstration as they warned that families are struggling to feed their children during the school holidays. Placards were held up in Lancing Street, Euston, on Thursday, with organisers hoping that their protest would highlight how people need […]