hate crime

In the Booth with Ruth – Rosie Campbell, Chair of UK Network of Sex Work Projects (UKNSWP) National Ugly Mugs Advisory Group, Former Coordinator of Armistead Street & Portside, Former Chair of UK Network of Sex Work Projects, PhD Research Student, Durham University

“In Liverpool, over the last ten years, I have worked in a climate and ethos that is progressive in relation to crimes against sex workers…” Rosie Campbell, an expert on the Merseyside hate crime model as a researcher, an outreach worker, support service manager and as an advocate, gives an in depth interview explaining why crimes against people in the sex trade are hate crimes and what needs to be done to ensure people in the sex trade have the human right to “public protection and justice”.

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

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Rosie Campbell is the Chair of UK Network of Sex Work Projects (UKNSWP) National Ugly Mugs Advisory Group, and was formerly the Coordinator of Armistead Street & Portside as well as the former Chair of UK Network of Sex Work Projects. She is currently a PhD Research Student, Durham University.

From the perspective of your many years experience working with people in the sex trade, how do you view the police?

From the research and policy work on sex work that I have been involved with and through UKNSWP working with sex work projects in different parts of the UK, my own experience is that the policing of sex work varies across forces and neighbourhoods. Policing takes place within the same laws and national guidance, but there are differences locally in policing approaches, culture and as part of that the priority that is placed on sex worker safety.

I’ve seen a…

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In the Booth with Ruth – Shelly Stoops, Interim Manager, SAFE Place Merseyside (Adult sexual assault referral centre-SARC), Liverpool Community Health, and Former Specialist ISVA for Sex Workers, Armistead Street Project, Liverpool Community Health

“Merseyside Police see sex workers as members of our community, sisters, mothers, brothers etc. who are as deserving of protection as we all are. Their priority is their protection.” – Shelly Stoops, who was instrumental in the Merseyside hate crime model for crimes committed against people in the sex trade, shares her unique experience in this interview.

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Shelly StoopsShelly Stoops is the Interim Manager at SAFE Place Merseyside (adult sexual assault referral centre-SARC) and was formerly the Specialist ISVA for sex workers at the Armistead Street Project for Liverpool Community Health.

How do you feel about the police?

I greatly respect Merseyside Police for the way they have taken a pragmatic, human rights approach to sex workers and prioritise their safety.

How do you think people in the sex trade feel about the police?

The women I have worked with here in Merseyside now have a great level of trust in Merseyside Police. That has been the result of massive amounts of trust building from the women themselves, the ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) and sex work project. So in the beginning, women would do Ugly Mug reports if they were attacked and wouldn’t dream of going to the police. Now, they will ring 999 just like any…

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In the Booth with Ruth – Maria, Prostitution Survivor

Maria, a survivor of prostitution, who was beaten and raped while in the sex trade, bravely shares her experience proving why the Merseyside model needs to be made UK wide. She says, “I was too frightened to go to the police. The way they’d dropped me off when I was young. I had expected them to take me home, back to my mum. But they didn’t do that the first time. And there was lack of trust. You didn’t know which policemen to trust. Half the girls were being touched up by them. It was a vicious circle. There was no one to help you. It would be like you chose to do this job: get out and do it, or get a life.”

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Maria, Prostitution Survivor

How do you feel about the police?

I’m in two minds because as far as working girls go, they have no compassion. They don’t believe them. They think the girls and women put themselves in that danger, so why should they be helped.

Have your feelings towards the police changed since exiting the sex trade?

Still the same. Nothing has changed. The system hasn’t changed and that’s from talking to other girls.

Did you ever have any dealings with the police before or after you were in the sex trade?

When I was fifteen, I went to see my friend who’d moved in with her sister. I was thrown out of the house, and found myself in Piccadilly, Manchester where I met gypsies. The police put me in this hostel. There was about one hundred and ninety women in there. I was petrified. I didn’t know what to do. I…

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