“There’s a thought in the back of your mind that you’ll not come home and you’ll end up being another statistic.”
According to the Home Office, 74% of women involved in sex work have experienced violence from men who buy sex, and over half report having been raped or sexually assaulted.
Violence against anyone is unacceptable and illegal. It is important for us to take a stand against those who commit such acts and bring them to justice.
That’s why we’re launching our campaign ‘It’s Never OK’.
We want to share just some of the stories that have come from conversations with sex workers* to help shine a light on the experiences that they describe. In doing so, we hope to present the seriousness of the situation in a human context and to remind perpetrators that their abusive actions are illegal, and unambiguously wrong.
If you’d like to share the campaign materials on your own social media channels, you can download the campaign material at the bottom of this page.
*All names have been changed to protect identities.
Where to turn for support
If you’re a sex worker, you have the right to report any crime committed against you. Police officers are there to listen and support you.
You can report a crime to West Midlands Police online or by calling 101. In an emergency, always dial 999.
There are a number of specific services available to support sex workers:
Birmingham
Phone: 0121 643 0301
Coventry
Phone: 02476 559550
Freefone: 08081 785 540
Coventry & Birmingham
Phone: 07714252927
Walsall & Wolverhampton
Phone: 01902 341 822
We also have a directory of local, regional and national services for victims of abuse.
About sex work
The below guidance only relates to adults.
‘Prostitute’ is the legal term used for sex work. A prostitute is defined by law as someone who has offered or provided sexual services to another person in return for any financial arrangement on at least one occasion. We recognise the stigma attached to language such as ‘prostitute’. In light of this, we will use the term ‘sex worker’.
In the UK, the act of engaging in sex work is not illegal. However, the below activities associated with sex work are unlawful under the Sexual Offences Act 2003:
- It is illegal for a sex worker to solicit or loiter in a public place.
- It is illegal to pimp (someone who controls sex worker/s and the money they earn).
- It is illegal to own or manage a brothel (any premise which is used by more than one person for sex work).
- It is illegal to advertise sexual services.
The Police will take action against those who break the law. This will be balanced as sex workers are extremely vulnerable; therefore, every effort will be made to protect, support, and divert sex workers away from the industry in the first instance.