hate crime

In the Booth with Ruth – Jackie Summerford, Mother of Bonnie Barratt, Murdered at 24 Years Old in the Sex Trade

“The police should offer the hand of support and show understanding and compassion to the victim. But to a working girl, it’s the opposite. There wouldn’t be that kindness. With another person, they’d be sympathetic, but with working girls, they’re not. They should treat everyone the same.” Jackie Summerford, mother of Bonnie Barratt who was murdered at 24 years old in the sex trade, speaks bravely about why the Merseyside model is needed UK wide.

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Jackie and Bonnie

How do you feel about the police?

At the time of my daughter’s murder case, I didn’t get on with them. I didn’t get on with the liaison officer because when he came to tell me about Bonnie, he was talking about Xiao Mei Guo, the lady who was selling counterfeit DVDs, and he tried to make Bonnie sound worse by talking about the other lady as if she was better, pure. We clashed there and then, after that one meeting.

How were you treated by the other police officers?

I didn’t meet the others until the actual court case. I think it was the sergeant of homicide who realised something was wrong. One of the officers always stayed outside with us, and he asked my daughter, Kelly, what was wrong with me. She explained to him that for the whole year we’d waited to go to court, the liaison…

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In the Booth with Ruth – Andrew Boff, Conservative Member of the London Assembly

Conservative Member of the London Assembly, Andrew Boff, explains why the Merseyside model – making all crimes against people in prostitution/sex workers hate crimes – is needed in London.

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

andrew-boffFrom your research of the Metropolitan Police, can you tell me how they are dealing with crimes committed against people in prostitution/sex workers? 

Some police, and indeed some boroughs and units in the MPS, are doing a great job. However unfortunately, it takes just one bad officer to disproportionately damage relations between sex workers and police.

What concerns were raised in your report?

One of the concerns in my report, Silence on Violence, was that there was consistent evidence that police had been proactively raiding sex establishments without complaints or significant intelligence that exploitation was taking place.

Can you explain how this affects people in prostitution/sex workers when a crime is committed against them?

NHS projects had noted that ‘brothel’ raids and visits had led to the displacement of sex workers away from their support networks, which led to their lives and health being at increasing risk. There is another concern – that when police…

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The Merseyside model – to make all crimes against people in prostitution/sex workers hate crimes – must be made UK wide!

coventrywomensvoices's avatarCoventry Women's Voices

Guest Blog from Author and Charity and Human Rights Campaigner – Ruth Jacobs

**Trigger Warning**

 Lost LivesFrom “Hate Crime, Harm Reduction & Social Inclusion: Addressing Violence Against Sex Workers in Merseyside” by Shelly Stoops (ISVA) Armistead Street Project, Liverpool CHT. http://www.ihra.net/files/2010/08/31/1009.pdf

“These very real women photographed above are dead. They were murdered, and most of their cases remain unsolved. Women in prostitution suffer higher rates of murder [the mortality rate for women in prostitution in London is twelve times the national average – Home Office 2004a], higher rates of rape [more than half have been raped and/or seriously sexually assaulted in the UK – Home Office 2004b], and higher rates of physical violence [at least three quarters have been physically assaulted – Home Office 2004b]. And when they are made to disappear, most of society does not care.

In 2006, Merseyside police declared crimes against people in prostitution/sex workers hate crimes. The results are so…

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