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[Previous entry: "Paying the Price - Home Office consultation on (some bits of) sex work law"] [Back to the main board] [Next entry: "Safety tip #2"]
Wed, 4 Aug 04
Safety tip #1
If something did go wrong, who'd know?
Whether it's a booking or a pick up on the scene, think about who knows where you are and who you are with. If you went missing, who'd notice or call the police? And could the client be traced?
If you take bookings over the phone, get their number and record it somewhere safe. Is it a landline (home, work or payphone?) or a mobile number? Is it listed on one of the escort safety websites / 'ugly mugs' lists?
If you use the internet, is the booking made from an account you need a credit card for, or is it a free one where they could use any old details... or even one that promises anonymity for users? Does their address have any hits on google?
When you talk to a new potential client, ask if they've seen anyone else. If so, try to check to see if they're an ok client or one you might prefer not to see.
Many people call someone - even if it's just their own answerphone or voicemail - on arrival at a client's or when a client arrives, saying when they expect to be finished and that they'll ring back then, to make the client know they'd be missed quickly.
If you work at home, consider having someone else in (or pretending there is!) when clients are present.
If you're working on the streets, get someone else to note the car's registration number and tell them when you're expected back. Let the client know this has happened.
None of this is a complete protection - 'pay as you go' mobiles can be bought with cash and cars can be stolen - but clients who think they can be traced are less likely to cause trouble in the first place.
If you think you're in a dangerous situation, get out immediately. Trust your gut instincts.
And remember: someone who attacks you will probably attack someone else too. If you do have trouble, let the police know - they are treating attacks on sex workers more seriously than ever before. You can report it anonymously via many sex work projects if you'd prefer
Replies: 18 comments
Why can't service users create topics here? Bit of a power imbalance wouldn't you say?
Posted by Kel on 05 Sep 04
Well, in many ways, we are more open than most. We don't ask people to register with us before they can comment, for example.
We could let people we trusted create topics, and we'll talk about doing so when we next review the website.
We're also thinking about a project involving a website where sex workers - and anyone they cared to invite - could post anything they liked (within the libel laws etc!) including the facility to restrict who saw it. So you could keep something you said on it entirely private, or just let friends see it, or make it completely open.
In the meantime, if you tell us what you'd like to discuss, unless we think it'd be totally inappropriate, we'll start one for you.
Posted by SW5 on 06 Sep 04
"People we trust"? That's very exlusive isnt it? How does one become "trusted". I don't see how your policy of not getting people to register makes a difference, as you'd be able to see their IP whether they did or not anyway.
I don't mean to attack you or your organisation-which i'm sure is doing a wonderful job. I just think it's high time that gay sexworkers had an open forum in which to express their views. It may not be appropriate for your organisation to facilitate this, but it would be great if someone within the gay sexwork community set something like this up where guys can exchange views and ideas.
I think that in the face of the current changing sexwork laws, gay sexworkers need to be politically empowered and mobilised as individuals rather than having 'their' views channeled through social care agencies.
Posted by Kelv on 07 Sep 04
I agree with Kelv I know a very litte bit about web sites if you want to you can mail me at deangrant2004@yahoo.co.uk maybe I could set someting up
Posted by Dean on 21 Sep 04
It's not a case of not being able to do it technically, but there are a number of other issues to consider.
Would you want a board that anyone could see, for example, or would you want one where you had to register in order to view or be invited to join?
(One potential use for such a board would be to warn others about dodgy punters. There would be legal problems with having that on an 'open' board, for example.)
When the new project happens, I'm sure you'll both love it, because it really will be unlike any other existing sex work forum...
Posted by SW5 on 21 Sep 04
Is it not possible to have a forum where a part of it is restricted and another part is open? I agree that its very restrictive here in that you cant talk about what you want here as the topics are fixed. Keep the warnings board closed but there needs to be an open forum.
Posted by Jim on 15 Apr 05
".. of the week"?
Cough :)
Posted by Richard on 02 May 05
i am intrested in this position how do i apply
Posted by solomon on 27 Sep 06
brilliant!!!!! information that is helpful and non judgemental.. I am going to show this to the other girls i work with.
I am a 25year old working girl
Working in the sex industry has a big taboo cloud hanging over it. This has a knock on effect on issues other than social discrimination. it has consequential effects regarding mortgages, taxes, health screens and more.
First of all; in my experiences as a working girl there are different types of sex workers including: street workers; workers forced into sex work and sex workers.
Street workers and vulnerable people forced into sex work are in a minority compared to sex workers that are in parlours and agencies of their own choice, yet most reports and opinions regarding 'prostitution' are based them. In my experience people who I've known that have 'worked the streets' were usually feeding drug addictions therefore were vulnerable and sex work was somewhat forced to feed their habits, not chosen. Workers who are forced into work against their own will are also vulnerable and are too scared to leave, sex work wasn't chosen!!
For the majority of sex workers who chose their profession.... I do believe we could make this a legally recognised industry. I think we should be able to work legitimately. it would then however be taxable, i think we should be taxed but it is classed as immoral earnings therefore we cannot declare it!! we can say we are dancers but why should we have to lie. The 'tax man' has raided a few massage parlours near me and is threatening girls with prosecution for fraud and tax evasion. We wouldn't avoid any of the legalities if we weren't forced to. We cannot declare that we are sex workers therefore we cannot apply legitimately like other industry employees for mortgages and loans or pay correct taxes. Many of us feel everything we own is at risk. We would be honest but we are afraid of doing so. I say dust off the cobwebs of old fashioned views and legalise this profession, make it safe and make it a recognisable industry so that legitimate sex workers can be proud of the adult choices THEY have made, so that we can have financial security and not feel like criminals.
RIGHT TO CHOICE
surely if the sex worker CHOOSES, the owner of the establishment CHOOSES and the client CHOOSES all as responsible adults then surely none of us should be penalised!!!On another note:
Massage parlours need to be a profitable businesses in order to run. The owner needs to be able to maintain the general upkeep of the property, employ reception staff, provide security measures and supply working materials. The owners need money not only for their own wages but to continue to provide a safe environment for sex workers to work in. In my experience these people aren't pimps!! yet are branded as so. I thank the people who provide me with clean safe and respectable environments in which i have worked. There needs to be guidelines in place to ensure that workers are paying a percentage for the upkeep of their working environment and not feeding the greed of the stereotypical "pimp".
introduce legislation to distinguish between sex workers who are vulnerable and work, sex workers that are forced to work against their will and sex workers who choose to do this kind of work. Legislation needs to be set to distinguish 'pimps' from respectable agency and parlour owners
Posted by martine on 01 Mar 07
Taboo but taxable
Like it or not, streetworkers are the public face of prostitution because it's the one the public see most often.
Outcall is almost impossible to spot, and it's amazing how many people don't notice the indoors incall work going on around them.
You can pay taxes on sex work income, and lots of people do - ask on places like saafe.info!
For a start, as far as HM Customs and Revenue are concerned, even illegal income is taxable. Hence the tax raids on brothels: in most places, they take far more interest than the police.
But unless you're working on the street, or running (rather than just working 'in' or 'for') a brothel or an agency, you're working legally.
So everyone should pay tax on their sex work earnings: it's one less thing to worry about. As various places are indeed finding out, if you're advertising, they're looking at your ads.
In my experience, they don't even mind being told 'escorting' as a source of income - if they suggest 'entertainment' or 'therapy' or anything else, it's usually because they're concerned you might want to be a bit discreet.
The question of whether brothel ownership should be 'legalised' (i.e. with licences and what ever other restrictions Parliament can think up) or 'decriminalised' is one of those never ending debates.
Personally, I'd like to see decriminalisation, but I'd accept a licencing system for the owners.
Posted by Richard on 01 Mar 07
Hi people, on the subject of there being a website or board that you're able to post details about dodgy punters and information for each other, there has been something in existence for just over a year that you would be interested in. It was borne out of Gaydar's unwillingness to add something to the commercial side of their site. The site was setup by myself as a blog with details on those to avoid.
The site has now moved to a full community site engine to allow all of the escorts to put their 10 pence in. It's completely free as it should be has the forum on there devoted to information that really should be read to keep each other safe. There is a section solely with information on SW5 as there has been from the beginning. They will also be able to control the content on this page and will update their own announcements section.
I hope you all use it as it's there for you and I make absolutely no money out of running it. I just had a few close calls when I was escorting and don't want others to have the same.
www.info.buildportal.com
Hayden. x
Posted by Hayden Scott on 07 Oct 07
Escort safety site
I'm a bit sad you've deleted the old one though - some of those dodgy punters are very much still around and it's difficult to avoid the conclusion that Gaydar only care about the money coming into their pockets.
While I remember, I got the "Your account details will be reviewed by the portal Administrator and you will receive a notification upon account activation" acknowledgement from the new one four weeks ago and still haven't had the account activated.
Posted by Richard on 06 Nov 07
This is a message for Hayden Scott. Tried looking up www.info.buildportal.com and it says:-The hosting contract for Escort2Escort expired on 27-Nov-2007.
I would like to know if you have another outlet site up & running or if you will be renewing your hosting for this one?
Many thanks
Regards
MaureenPosted by Maureen on 27 Feb 08
Missing website(s)
Yes, it looks to have vanished. I never did get an account on it activated.
What with the loss of HookOnline (a very good American info site that let its forum be spammed to death and gave up entirely) and at least two other male escort network/safety sites, things are not as good as they could be at the moment.
If there is a demand, something will clearly have to be done...
Posted by Richard on 03 Mar 08
This board stopped accepting comments for about a week - sorry for the service interruption to all non-spammers (there are about a hundred attempts a day to 'comment spam' here!)
Posted by Oops on 18 Apr 08
What i find hypocritical in this country is if a man pays a woman for sex he is looked on as an exploiter of woman,but if a woman pays a man for sex she is not looked on as an exploiter of men.which i find extreamly sexist.
Posted by Greg on 16 May 08
Not once have i heard of men who sell sex to woman being prosicuted an yet if a woman does the same she could face prosicution if caught.
Posted by Greg on 16 May 08
Prosecutions
Selling and buying sexual services is legal in the UK. What's not is offering to do so on the street or in a similar public place.
I don't know of anywhere in the UK where men hang around on the street soliciting women, whereas most cities have somewhere where women solicit men...
Posted by Richard on 25 May 08
So, what do you think?
(To save you asking, no-one knows of any genuine agency looking for straight men
who only want to escort women. Sorry. There are free places to advertise,
but one such site has over four thousand optimistic men already...)
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