Sex work – it’s a contentious topic.  If you ask just about anyone, they will surely have an opinion.  Sometimes that opinion is based on fantasy, sometimes it is based on experience, but usually it is formed based on someone else’s perception or translation of what sex work really involves.  We are are here to set the record straight; to present facts, not fiction, and to smash the myths and preconceptions that surround sex work in the United Kingdom, and further afield…

A lot of stigma and stereotypes go hand in hand with sex work.  Mention the word “prostitute” and what image immediately comes into your mind?  Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman”?  A youthful Jodie Foster in “Taxi”?  A drug dependent, high heeled, sparsely dressed female leaning into the window of a car?  The latter image is the poster child most often depicted by the media, and is what the media would like you to believe sex work consists of.  Currently, the majority of sex work involves very little of that, however with current debates aligning sex work and sex trafficking, and proposed legislation threatening to remove the channels sex workers use to advertise, screen clientele and keep themselves safe, for many, that might soon become a reality.

One thing we do know is – sex work is often conflated with human trafficking, and whilst some workers certainly are victims, trafficking isn’t an issue that is only confined to the sex industry.  Trafficking happens across many industries and sectors, and it is a worldwide problem that needs addressing, but not at the expense of those working freely in their related industry.

If you’re confused about sex work and trafficking, and not sure about the difference between decriminalising and legalising sex work, this is a well put together guide:

https://medium.com/the-nib/feminists-should-support-decriminalizing-sex-work-heres-why-37e625d098ae