Sex employees ‘dwelling in worry’ as they’re terrorised by teenagers in new social media development
Youngsters are recording themselves storming into brothels, kicking down doors and smashing windows in a new TikTok trend. Its left many prostitutes too scared to work
Sex workers in London have been living in London after a recent trend has sparked chaos (Image: TikTok)
London sex workers are “living in fear” as teenagers have taken to social media to record themselves storming into brothels trying to get at the women working inside.
In videos filmed and shared on social media as many as 50 teens have been seen trying to break down doors of brothels based in Chinatown, London. The teenagers have been accused of charging into the building where sex workers operate, kicking in doors, breaking windows and tearing cameras all for TikTok content.
The Times reported women have become too scared to work and are locking themselves in their flats. Some social media users have been heard yelling things such as “Close the brothels” as they raid buildings – claiming to be against sex work.
Niki Adams, of the English Collective of Prostitutes, has spoken of the effect this social media trend has had on the sex workers. Adams said: ”Women are living in fear, trapped in their flats and too scared to go out, and we cannot understand why the police have failed to take effective action or allowed this to continue for over a month.
“It’s hard to believe this level of intimidation would be tolerated if it were a royal residence or an ambassador’s home under threat.”
Adams has written to the Met Police borough commander claiming in one incident, a sex worker saw a teenager armed with a knife after storming the premises.
The Met said: “We’ve used our policing powers where appropriate to move on those involved in this behaviour.
“We’ve issued a number of Community Protection Warnings and continue to review our use of further powers, like Criminal Behaviour Orders, for persistent offenders.
“The trend doesn’t exclusively impact sex workers but they are among those who have been targeted. We would urge anyone who is the victim of violence or harassment, including when it is done in the name of social media entertainment, to contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
In the UK prostitution is legal aside from in Northern Ireland. However any related activities such as soliciting prostitution, operating and running a brothel or controlling prostitutes for financial gain is illegal.
Because of this legal grey area brothels cannot hire their own security. This is because anyone who works as a bouncer or as security for a brothel will be deemed to be facilitating sex work – which is illegal.
Decrim Now, a sex worker-led organisation calling for the full decriminalisation of sex work, says it would allow sex workers to work together without the fear of harassment, arrest or abuse.
Audrey, a spokesperson for Decrim Now told The Times: “Decriminalisation (would allow) sex workers to work together in safety, without fear of arrest or harassment, and to use existing labour rights and protections to challenge unsafe or exploitative conditions in their own workplaces — like all other workers do.”
