Prostitution and Trafficking

Trafficking 

Hundreds of women and children are trafficked into the UK every year. Some women are sold to ‘guardians’ or answer advertisements offering legitimate work with a wage and good working conditions.  Others are tricked into paying to come to this country with promises of a better life. When they arrive they often have their passports taken from them and have limited freedom. Frequently they are intimidated and threatened, and forced to work as domestic slaves or in prostitution.  The money they earn is kept by their abusers.  Very often they don’t speak much English.  They know very little about the UK’s legal system or their rights.

Children are also trafficked in and around the UK.  They are often sexually exploited, forced into prostitution, used in videos and photographs of abuse. Many children are used to work in factories, beg on the streets or in domestic slavery.

These are criminal acts.

It is a criminal offence to have sex with someone who is being coerced or controlled. If this is happening to you, you can get help, and the men who have paid to have sex, and those who are controlling you, can be arrested.  The people who have imprisoned you and organised selling you have committed serious crimes.

There are organisations that can help you to escape from your situation.

Rape Crisis London can help you to understand your rights, protect your freedom and help you to be repatriated safely, if appropriate.

The POPPY Project  can give you help with accommodation if you have been trafficked into sexual exploitation or domestic slavery.

KALAYAAN give basic employment and immigration advice to migrant domestic workers in the UK,

For more information about the trafficking of women and children worldwide go to the Coalition against Trafficking in Women

Prostitution 

Women become involved in prostitution for many reasons. Some feel it is a necessity, just to make ends meet. Some are coerced by partners or acquaintances and some become homeless through abuse and violence at home and are forced into prostitution to survive on the streets. An increasing number find themselves in the UK having been trafficked here to be sexually exploited in prostitution. Most women become involved in prostitution through being manipulated and controlled by pimps or drug dealers. 

If you are involved in prostitution, you may feel that you have no alternative and that there is no way out.  You may feel stigmatised, caught in a cycle that is hard to break.  We know from research that a very high proportion of women  involved  in prostitution experience physical or sexual violence which can lead to long-term phycial and psychological consquences.

We would like to help you.  

However you come to be involved in prostitution, if you want to escape, or get some information, support or counselling, please contact us.