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Please consider signing or asking your organisation to sign this, thanks to anyone who does, cheers jacqui lovell ________________________________ From: English Collective of Prostitutes <[log in to unmask]> Sent: 25 October 2017 18:55 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Please sign Open Letter protesting police treatment of sex worker Dear friends, A woman in our network was recently attacked and then threatened with prosecution when she reported it to the police. She later received a deportation order which was only overturned after a campaign spearheaded by the ECP. The police have refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing despite written complaints. They seem to think we should be satisfied with their platitudes that “the safety of people engaged in sex work is paramount . . .”. But we want actual change. The open letter<http://ymlptrack7.com/eubwaaaebbmbaxabyyalahhme/click.php> below demands that the police properly investigate the attack so these violent men are stopped and that the police in general prioritise the protection of sex workers over the prosecution for prostitution offences in line with National Police Chiefs’ Council guidelines. Please let us know if you or your organisation would like to sign in support, and please share widely with your networks. Many thanks. ECP OPEN LETTER TO DEMAND THAT POLICE PRIORITISE THE PROTECTION OF SEX WORKERS OVER THE PROSECUTION FOR PROSTITUTION OFFENCES. We write to protest the police treatment of a victim of armed robbery who was working as a sex worker when she was attacked. (Crime ref: 5214132/17). Ms Maria Benito [not her real name] was working in a flat in Enfield when five men broke in with knives and robbed her and other women. As soon as the men left Ms Benito called the police but on arrival officers asked irrelevant and intrusive questions about how many clients women had and how much they charged. Ms Benito also reports that forensic evidence wasn’t gathered thoroughly. A few days later Ms Benito received a letter threatening her with prosecution for brothel-keeping and later with deportation. Her attempts to give a formal statement about the attack were ignored by police until the media started asking questions. Police have refused to take photographic and other evidence from Ms Benito that could have linked the robbery to others. Ms Benito has not been treated in accordance with the Victims’ Code<http://ymlptrack7.com/eubqacaebbmbalabyyaoahhme/click.php>[i]. Legal Action for Women complained to Enfield police on Ms Benito’s behalf but they refuse to acknowledge that threatening victims of violent crime with prosecution for non-violent prostitution offences deters women from coming forward and is likely to hinder the investigation into the crime. The attackers are still at large. For further details, see press coverage in The Guardian<http://ymlptrack7.com/eubyafaebbmbarabyyafahhme/click.php>, Politics.co.uk<http://ymlptrack7.com/euhsavaebbmbalabyyavahhme/click.php> and The Independent.<http://ymlptrack7.com/euhuaiaebbmbacabyyadahhme/click.php> Despite considerable risk to herself, Ms Benito courageously reported this attack because she wanted to prevent the men attacking other women. With her permission we are making the information public and demanding: Full background information here<http://ymlptrack7.com/euheakaebbmbarabyyapahhme/click.php>. Enfield Borough Police be censured for its handling of this incident, and that it: • Acknowledges Ms Benito’s bravery in reporting this violent attack and apologises to her for mistakes in the handling of this case. • Prioritises the investigation and arrest of the perpetrators of these robberies. • Updates Ms Benito and Legal Action for Women in writing on the progress of the investigation. We also ask that the Metropolitan Police: • Issue a statement that the prosecution of serious violent crimes is a priority for police over prosecution for non-violent offences such as soliciting and brothel-keeping. • Review police practices in line with NPCC guidance and immediately cease raiding and forcing closure on premises where sex workers are working together for safety. • Ensure that sex workers who are victims of violent crime are treated in accordance with the Victims’ Code and where appropriate get an “enhanced service” for “persistently targeted” and “vulnerable” victims. Signed by: English Collective of Prostitutes, UK SCOT-PEP, UK Sex Worker Advocacy and Resistance Movement, UK Sex Workers Alliance Ireland Endorsed by: Action for Trans Health Edinburgh, UK Action for Trans Health London, UK ASLEF Women’s Representative Committee, UK Basis Sex Work Project, UK BDS in Newcastle, UK Belfast Feminist Network, UK Bristol Burlesque Festival, UK Clients of Sex Workers Allied for Change (CoSWAC) Coyote RI, USA Desiree Alliance, USA Feminist Fightback, UK Fuckförbundet, Sweden Haringey Anti-Raids, UK International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe Legalife-Ukraine (UCO) LGBTIQA+ Greens, UK London Campaign Against Police and State Violence, UK Manchester Students’ Union Trans Campaign, UK Methadone Alliance UK National Ugly Mugs, UK North London Sisters Uncut, UK NUS Trans Campaign, UK Oxford SU Women’s Campaign, UK PACE Society, Vancouver, Canada PION – Prostituertes interesseorganisasjon i Norge, Norway Queer Agenda Sheffield (QASh) UK Release, UK Scarlet Alliance, Australian Sex Workers Association Sekswerk Expertise, the Dutch Sexwork Lobby Association, Netherlands Sex Industry Network (SIN), South Australia Sex Work Research Hub, UK Stella, l’amie de Maimie, Montreal, Quebec (Canada) STRASS, France SWOP Behind Bars, USA SWOP NT Sex Worker Outreach Program Northern Territory, Australia The F-Word, UK Trans Pride Brighton, UK Ugly Mugs Ireland University of Bristol Intersectional Feminist Society, UK UoY Sex Worker Solidarity, UK ________________________________ Unsubscribe / Change Profile<http://ymlptrack7.com/ughjssbsgsghhmegujehggmqyqb> Powered by YMLP<http://ymlptrack7.com/m/> ___________________________________ The list is jointly managed by David Fryer [log in to unmask] and Grant Jeffrey [log in to unmask], either of whom are able to deal with queries. 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