Sex workers speak out – English Collective of Prostitutes

23rd March 2017

Statement: Working from “pop-up brothels”

I have been working in brothels since 2008. For a long time we were in the same premises with me and two other women working as sex workers. We are all mothers and working for ourselves. Most of us are sending money back home to our families in other countries. We knew working together was […]

18th October 2015

Statement: A travelling sex worker

“I was fed up of being a cleaner, bar maid and shop assistant, often all on the same day. Prostitution is certainly not the worst job I have ever had. I have worked on the fish market and as a cleaner where I was working for people who didn’t care if we were cold or […]

18th October 2015

Statement: Convicted as a “trafficker”

I’ve been a victim of sexual abuse and domestic violence and believe every woman should be protected. I come from a poor rural area of Brazil. At age 12, I was forced to work as a domestic servant to help support my family. I was repeatedly sexually assaulted by two sons in the family. I […]

18th October 2015

Statement: Working from premises

I am an immigrant lesbian woman and I work as a prostitute. I have written this because I can’t speak publicly as a prostitute. I am fed up with living a double life. I decided to go on the game because I didn’t want to be dependent on men anymore. But to be independent from […]

18th October 2015

Statement: Part-time street worker

I work on the streets part-time so it isn’t feasible for me to have a flat on my own, but if I could work with a friend from a flat I would do that because it would be safer. I wouldn’t be having to look over my shoulder for the police all the time. Because […]

18th October 2015

Statement: Migrant sex worker on trafficking laws

“When I first came to this country I was forced to come, forced to be a sex-worker. I suffered violence every day, and drugs and alcohol. I was being watched 24 hours. I was begging police officers to come to ask me if I was OK — they never did, it never happened. After a […]

8th March 2013

Statement: Migrant sex worker on International Women’s Day

My name is Paulina, I am a sex-worker. When I first came to this country I was forced to come here, forced to be a sex-worker. I suffered violence every day and drugs and alcohol. I was being watched 24 hours. I was begging a police officer to come to ask me if I was […]

11th February 2009

Statement: Jenny Pearl, sex worker and mother of a disabled child

Evidence from a woman who works on the streets Link to original Memorandum submitted by Jenny Pearl Written evidence to the Public Bill Committee of the Policing and Crime Bill I attended the Committee of the Policing and Crime Bill on 27 January hoping to give evidence in person. But I was not allowed, and was […]