Detention and deportation of three Swindon sex workers ‘raises need for reforms’ say Young Greens

By Jamie Hill - 6 July 2017

PoliticsCrime

Members of Swindon Young Greens have reacted with anger and disappointment at the treatment of three Romanian Sex Workers who were arrested and detained on June 29.

“The need for reform to our laws regarding Sex Work in the UK has never been greater. Currently, the legislation fails to adequately protect Sex Workers and instead, it forces them to work alone in dangerous conditions where violence is more common as a result of being unable to work within the proximity of other Sex Workers” said Jordan Smith, a member of Swindon Young Greens.

“The law criminalises the keeping of brothels which is defined as a building with two or more Sex Workers operating in. This demonises prostitutes whilst misleading the public about keeping them safe. Wiltshire Police claim to have made these three women safer when in reality, they have been taken to an immigration centre where violence against women has been described as endemic. Furthermore, the United Nations special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Rashida Manjoo was refused entry to Yarl’s Wood immigration centre in 2015 which raises our suspicions further about the treatment that female migrants received after being arrested by Police or Immigration officials”.

“We are absolutely ashamed of the way these women and many others are treated. The European Union and HMRC both recognise Sex Work as a legitimate form of self-employment and therefore are horrified by claims that Wiltshire Police have instructed other Migrant Sex Workers to find ‘other legitimate work within 30 days or face deportation’. It’s time that we had a parliamentary review of our laws on prostitution and involved Sex Workers in this process to listen to them and fully understand how best to protect them, rather than exacerbate their stigmatisation”.

"We urge people to contact their local MP about raising the issue of the violations of rights that some members of the Sex Worker community face especially those of migrants and women.

"Finally, we encourage you to contact Sex Workers Advocacy and Resistance Movement (SWARM) for more information/updates by emailing [email protected] or twitter (@sexworkhive)."

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