Today, 17th December, is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. It began as a vigil in Seattle and has since evolved into an annual international event calling attention to the hate crimes and stigma that sex workers face.
We recently released a report exploring people’s experiences of being involved in sex work in Essex. The report found that sex work was happening across Essex and not just in the traditional red-light districts. Participants in the project had varied experiences. Whilst some chose to take part in sex work with full consent and had positive experiences, many of the participants experienced abuse, coercion and stigma.
Some participants experienced physical violence, like Rachel*, who was physically beaten up by her boyfriend:
“I have big gaps in my memory, but there were days where I’d wake up and he’d be beating me up.”
The violence can take multiple forms, as Josie* experienced:
“I’ve had so many bruises. I’ve had cuts and been choked. I’ve had blows to my head. I’ve had people want to rob me. I was on a job one Christmas Eve in Tottenham Court Road. And next thing you know, the door burst open, and men are standing there with guns, demanding all of our money. They knew it would be a good day to rob us because Christmas Eve is always busy in brothels.”
The stigma associated with sex work can make it difficult for people to seek support, as Allie describes:
“There was lots of blood, so I had to call an ambulance, and before it got there, I was running around trying to hide the evidence of what I had been doing.”
Kat* was unknowingly groomed into having sex with strangers through her boyfriend/pimp’s coercion to feed the cocaine habit which he had started:
“I would’ve done anything for gear. Joe* said he would sort it; he went out for a couple of hours and came back with this other bloke. He said if I had sex with the guy, he would pay Joe* and he could get me some coke. I didn’t want to do it, but I needed the coke more.”
Sharon Westfield de Cortez, Information and Guidance Manager at Healthwatch Essex and author of the report, said:
“Throughout the engagement phase of this project, I was privileged to meet a cross section of people from across the county who were willing to share their lived experiences around sex work. I cannot thank them enough for their honesty and willingness to talk with me, often about highly traumatic and distressing events in their lives.
I hope that this report gives insight into the fact that sex work is happening in many towns and villages and is no longer typified by the red-light district and sex workers out on the street, although that undoubtedly still exists. Digitalisation and social media have diversified sex work immensely, and whilst some participants shared that there was some degree of choice and control in their decisions and actions, it remains evident that for the majority of those involved in sex work, abuse and exploitation features significantly in their lives, along with vulnerabilities such as domestic abuse, addiction and mental health issues.”
*Names have been changed to protect identities.