‘What is the point in reporting?’: London's street sex work crisis | BBC News

Summary

The report examines violence against women involved in street sex work in North London and the barriers that prevent them from reporting crimes. One survivor says she feared being arrested when she sought medical care after an attack. Police officers describe hearing reports of rape, assaults and other violence. They say some women initially expect not to be believed or fear that reporting will get them into trouble.

The coverage links the issue to the case of Simon Levy, a violent sex offender who raped and murdered vulnerable women, including street sex workers. A survivor’s rape report was mishandled by the Metropolitan Police, and the case was closed. The report says Levy remained free to offend before his eventual arrest. The case exposed serious policing failures and the tension between protecting women and enforcing laws and antisocial-behaviour measures that can criminalise them.

In response, two plain-clothes female Met officers are working to build relationships with North London’s 84 known street-based sex workers. They say their aim is to safeguard women and identify offenders, not arrest the women. They report that once women feel listened to, they are more willing to disclose further incidents. One survivor says the team reassured her that they were there to support her, and she has since received help.

Police leaders acknowledge the need to change their approach and focus on women’s specific needs. However, the report stresses that the problems are wider than one London area and are systemic. Research suggests specialist liaison officers can improve safety and access to justice when programmes are properly designed.

A sex-worker collective argues that police should focus on men’s crimes against women and that sex work should be decriminalised. It warns that fear of police leaves violence unreported and unchecked.

Presenters and Contributors

• BBC reporter — not named in the subtitles
• Two plain-clothes female Metropolitan Police officers — not identified
• Survivor of an attack — not named
• Local senior police officers — not named
• Representative of a sex-worker collective — not named

People discussed: Carmensa Valencia Trujillo, Cheryl Wilkins and Simon Levy.